Johnny Lay Back

’Twas a cold a dreary morning in December (December)
An’ all of me money it was spent (spent spent)
Where it went to, Lord I can’t remember (remember)
So down to the shipping office I went (went went)

Johnny lay back (Johnny lay back!)
Take in the slack (Take in the slack!)
Take a turn around the capstan heave a pawl (Heave a pawl!)
About ship’s stations, boys, be handy (Be handy!)
For we’re bound for Valipariso ’round the Horn

That day there was a great demand for sailors
For the colonies, for ’Frisco and for France
So I shipped aboard a limey barque The Hotspur
And got completely drunk on my advance

I woke up in the morning sick and sore-o
And I knew that I was outward bound again
When I heard a voice a-bawling at the door-o
“Lay aloft ye sods and answer to your names!”

’Twas on the quarter deck where first I saw ’em
Such an ugly bunch I never seen before
For there was a bum and stiff from every quarter
And it made me poor old heart feel sick and sore

I asked the mate a-which a-watch was mine-o
Says he “I’ll soon pick out a-which is which”
And he blowed me down and kicked me hard astern-o
Calling me a lousy dirty son-of-a-bitch

So there I was a-once more out to sea boys
The same ol’ bloody business o’er again
Oh, stamp the capstan ’round and make some noise, boys
And sing again this dear ol’ sweet refrain