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A Sailor's Consolation / An Ex-Sailor's Life

by Tom Lewis

on Mixed Cargo (1999), Mixed Cargo: Grade A (1999)

b>A Sailor's Consolation
One night came on a hurricane, the seas were mountains rolling
When Barney Buntline turned his quid, and says to Billy Bowline:
A strong Nor'Wester's blowing Bill, hark can't you hear it roar now?
Oh Lordy, how I pities them, unhappy folks ashore now

Foolhardy chaps as lives in towns, what dangers they are all in
Now lie a'quaking in their beds, for fear their roofs might fall in
Poor creatures, how they envies us and wishes, I've a notion
For our good luck, in such a storm, to be out on the ocean

And as for them who're out all day on business from their houses
And late at night returning home to cheer their babes and spouses
While you and I, Bill, on the deck are comfortably lying
My eyes - what tiles and chimney pots about their heads are flying

And very often have we heard how men are killed - and undone
By overturns of carriages, by thieves and fires in London
We knows what risks all landsmen run, from noblemen to tailors
So Bill, let us thank Providence - that you and I are sailors!

An Ex-Sailor's Life

When I was just a little lad I thought I'd like to go to sea
I became a sailor for a quarter of a century
Served in diesel and in steam, on surface ships and submarines
When you've heard m' story, I'm sure that you will see:

That an ex-sailorman is the only thing I want to be
Rather cruise a country-road than sail upon the stormy sea
I'd rather stand on solid ground than on a deck that heaves around
An ex-sailor's life is the life for me!

I never heard a shanty but the diesels sounded just as sweet
There was lots of comradeship you didn't find on civvy-street
When the seas were running high I often wished that I could die
A seasick sailorman - such a wretched thing to be
I'd rather drink m' tea in bed than leave m' breakfast in the head
An ex-sailor's life is the life for me!

I drank the wine, saw the sights, chased the girls in every port
San Francisco to Hong Kong, Buenos Aires to New York
I was never satisfied till I found m' self a bride
Who didn't want a sailorman, she only wanted me
She'd rather have me in her arms than sampling another's charms
An ex-sailor's life is the life for me!

And after all this time I don't know what the hell I did it for
It used to seem a good idea, looking back I'm not so sure
But if I hadn't served my time, couldn't really say that I'm
An ex-sailorman who's never going back to sea
Aboard I used to draw m' tot, but given the chance I'd rather not
An ex-sailor's life is the life for me!