Swing your tail, and a-swing your tail
Mind how you swing your tail
Swing last night and the night before
Mind how you swing your tail

One day the blackbird said to the crow
“What makes you love your farmer so?”

“That’s my trade since I’ve been born”
Scratching and a-digging up the farmer’s corn”

Swing your tail in the afterhold
Swing last night and the night before

And when we gets to the Liverpool docks
Them pretty gals will come in flocks

And one to the other you’ll hear ’em say
Here comes Johnny with two year’s pay

So now our payday soon will come
Up Paradise Street we’ll have good fun

Sing and heave an’ heave an’ sing
Heave and make them handspikes spring

Breast yer bars an’ bend yer backs
Heave an’ make yer spare ribs crack

A John he is true to his Sal an’ his Sue
So long as he’s able to keep ’em in view

Swing your tail, and a-swing your tail
Swing last night and the night before