**Traditional. Additional verses by ARRR!!! **
’Twas a Friday morn when we set sail and we were not far from the land
When our captain, (s)he/they spied, a mer-i-maid so fair with a comb and a spyglass in her hand
Oh the ocean waves do roll
And the stormy winds do blow
Aye, and we poor sailors are skipping at the top
And the landlubbers lie down, below, below, below
And the landlubbers lie down below
Well up spoke the captain of our gallant ship, and a fine spoken (wo)man was (s)he/person were they
“This fishy mermaid has warned me of our doom. We shall sink to the bottom of the sea”
Well up-spoke the mate of our gallant ship, and a dashing young (wo)man was (s)he/person were they
(S)he says/they say “I have a wife, in Brooklyn by the sea, and to-night a widow she will be”
Well up-spoke the bo’suns of our gallant ship and the spawn of the devil were they
They say “Man the capstan round boys, haul on the lines. You’ll work to the bottom of the sea”
Well up-spoke the cook of our gallant ship, and a greasy old butcher was (s)he/ were they
(S)he says/they say “I care much more for my pots and my pans than I do for the bottom of the sea”
Well up-spoke the cabin boy of our gallant ship, and a wretched liddle cabin boy was (s)he/ were they
(S)he says/they say “I left my fam’ly when I ran-away to sea, and to-night will they all grieve for me”
Well up-spoke the grog-masters of our gallant ship, and old dirty boozers were they
They-say “Seal-me-in-a-cask for I’d much rather drown in me rum than sober in salt-sea”
Well up spoke the chaplain of our gallant ship, and a pale wizened codger was (s)he/ were they
(S)he says/they say “You’ve-had your chance now, it’s too late to repent. Laughing at you-all from Heaven I will be”
Well up spoke the booty-master of our gallant ship, and a damn sly capital-ist was (s)he/ were they
(S)he says/they say “Your deaths shall never settle in my books. In the next life you’re still in debt to me”
Well up spoke the look-out of our gallant ship, and a keen-eyed sentinel was (s)he/ were they
(S)he says/they say “I’ve spotted whales and warships, but never mer i maids, who knows what in the next life I will see”
Well one time ’round spun our gallant ship, and two times ’round went she
Then three times ’round spun our gallant ship and she sank to the bottom of the sea