By Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Sunset and evening star,
      And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
      When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
     Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
      Turns again home.

   Twilight and evening bell,
      And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
      When I embark;

   For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place
      The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
      When I have crost the bar.

Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme
Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine
Come lift up your voices, all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again

Here’s a health to the company and one to my lass
Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass
Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again

Here’s a health to the dear lass that I love so well
For her style and her beauty, sure none can excel
There’s a smile on her countenance as she sits on my knee
There’s no man in this wide world as happy as me

Our ship lies at anchor, she’s ready to dock
I wish her safe landing, without any shock
If ever I should meet you by land or by sea
I will always remember your kindness to me

[Chorus x2]

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

Paddy lay back, (Paddy lay back)
Take in your slack (take in your slack)
Take a turn around your capstan heave a pawl.
Walk about ship, stations, boys, be handy (we’re handy!)
We’re bound for Valparaiso ‘round the horn

Well it seems there was a great demand for sailors (for sailors)
For the colonies, for Frisco and for France (France France)
Well, I shipped aboard the limey barque the Hotspur (the Hotspur)
And got paralytic drunk on my advance (ad-vance)

Well, I joined her on a cold December morning (morning)
A-flapping of me flippers to keep me warm (warm warm)
With the south cone hoisted as a warning (a warning)
To stand by the coming of a storm (storm storm)

Well, I woke up in the morning stiff and sore (sore)
And I knew that I was outward bound again (again again)
And a voice come a-bawling at the door (door)
Lay aft men, and answer to your name (name name)

Now it was on the quarter deck when first I seen ‘em (seen ‘em)
Such an ugly bunch I never seen before (before before)
Cause there was a bum and stiff from every quarter (quarter)
And it made my poor old heart feel sick and sore (sore sore)

So here we are, once again at sea, boys (at sea, boys!)
The same old bloody story over again (again again)
So stamp around the capstan, give a cheer, boys (Huzzah!)
And join me singing this ol’ refrain (refrain refrain)

Traditional Folk Song, Roud 704
Variant by Clayton Kennedy

Oh, have you heard the news, me Johnny
One more day
We’re homeward bound tomorrow, Johnny
One more day

Only one more day, me Johnny
One more day
Oh, rock and roll me over
One more day

Don’t you hear the old man growlin’, Johnny
Don’t you hear the mate a-howlin’, Johnny

Oh don’t you hear the caps’n pawling
Don’t you hear the pilot bawlin’, Johnny

Only one more day a-howlin’, Johnny
Can’t you hear the judies callin’

Only one more day a-furlin’, Johnny
Only one more day a-cursin’

No more gales or heavy weather, Johnny
Only one more day together, boys

[Chorus x2]

Traditional Folk Song
Variant by The Longest Johns

[This variant has a changing chorus]

When first I landed in Liverpool, I went upon the spree
With money at last, I spent it fast, I got drunk as drunk could be
But when my money was all gone, it was then that I wanted more
But a man must be blind to make up his mind, to go to sea once more

Once more, once more,
go to sea once more
But a man must be blind to make up his mind
To go to sea once more

And as I walked down London Road I met with a Rapper Brown
I asked him if he’d take me in and he looked at me with a frown
He said: “Last time you was paid off, to me you chalked no score
But I’ll give you a chance and I’ll take your advance
And I’ll send you to sea once more.”

Once more, once more, send you to sea once more
But I’ll give you a chance and I’ll take your advance
And I’ll send you to go to sea once more

I shipped on board of a whaling barque, we were bound for the Greenland seas
Where cold winds blow through frost and snow, why Jamaica rum would freeze
And worst to bear, I’d no hard weather gear, as I’d spent all my money ashore
It was then that I wished that I was dead and could go to sea no more

No more, no more, go to sea no more
It was then that I wished that I was dead and could go to sea no more

Some times we’re catching whales, me lads, some times we’re catching none
With a twenty-foot oar stuck in your paw, from four o’clock in the morn
And as the shades of night roll on and you rest on your weary oar
It was then that I wished that I was dead and could go to sea no more

No more, no more, go to sea no more
It was then that I wished that I was dead and could go to sea no more

So come all of you hard weather sailing lads, who listen to my song
When you get back from those long trips, I’d have you not go wrong
Take my advice, drink no strong drink, don’t you knock on that brothel door
But get married instead and spend all night in bed, and go to sea no more

No more, no more, go to sea no more
But get married instead and spend all night in bed, and go to sea no more

by Stan Rodgers

Westward from the Davis Strait
‘Tis there ’twas said to lie
The sea route to the Orient
For which so many died
Seeking gold and glory
Leaving weathered, broken bones
And a long-forgotten lonely cairn of stones

Ah, for just one time
I would take the Northwest Passage
To find the hand of Franklin
Reaching for the Beaufort Sea
Tracing one warm line
Through a land so wild and savage
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea

Three centuries thereafter
I take passage overland
In the footsteps of brave Kelso
Where his “sea of flowers” began
Watching cities rise before me
Then behind me sink again
This tardiest explorer
Driving hard across the plain

And through the night, behind the wheel
The mileage clicking west
I think upon Mackenzie
David Thompson and the rest
Who cracked the mountain ramparts
And did show a path for me
To race the roaring Fraser to the sea

How then am I so different
From the first men through this way?
Like them, I left a settled life
I threw it all away
To seek a Northwest Passage
At the call of many men
To find there but the road back home again

[Chorus]
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea

Kind friends and companions come join me in rhyme
Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine
Come lift up your voices all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again

Here’s a health to the company and one to my lass
Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass
Let us drink and be merry all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again

Here’s a health to the dear lass that I love so well
For her style and her beauty sure none can excel
There’s a smile on her countenance as she sits on my knee
There’s no man in this wide world as happy as me

Our ship lies at anchor she’s ready to dock
I wish her safe landing without any shock
If ever I should meet you by land or by sea
I will always remember your kindness to me

Oh, don’t you just hear the old man say?
Goodbye, fare-thee-well! Goodbye, fare-thee-well!
Oh, don’t you hear the old man say?
Hurrah, me boys! We’re homeward bound!

We’re homeward bound to Liverpool Town
Where all them judies, they will come down

And when we gets to the Wallasey Gates
Oh, Sally and Polly for their flash men do wait

And one to the other you’ll hear them say
Oh, here he comes Johnny with his fourteen months pay!

We meet these fly girls and we’ll ring the old bell
And with them judies, we’ll raise merry hell

We’re homeward bound to the gals of the town
And stamp up me bullies and heave it around

And when we gets home, boys, oh, won’t we fly ’round
We’ll heave up the anchor to this bully sound

We’re all homeward bound for the old backyard
Then heave, me bullies, we’re all bound homeward

Oh, heave with a will, boys, oh, heave long and strong
And sing a good chorus for ’tis a good song

We’re homeward bound, we’ll have you to know
And over the water to England must go!

Now we are ready to sail for the Horn
Weigh hey, roll and go!
Our boots and our clothes, boys, are all in the pawn
To be rollicking randy dandy-oh!

Heave a pawl, oh heave away!
Weigh hey, roll and go!
The anchor’s on board and the cable’s all stored
To be rollicking randy dandy-oh!

Heave away bullies, ye parish-rigged bums!
Take yer hands out yer pockets and don’t suck yer thumbs

Come breast the bars, bullies, heave her away
Soon we’ll be rolling her down through the Bay

Soon we’ll be warping her out through the locks
Where the pretty young girls all come down in their frocks

We’re outward bound for Vallipo Bay
Get crackin’ me lads, ’tis a hell of a way

This dirty town has been my home
since last time I was sailing,
But I’ll not stay another day,
I’d sooner go out whaling,

Oh lord above, send down a dove
with wings as sharp as razors,
To cut the throats of them there blokes
what sells bad beer to sailors!

Paid off m’ ‘score’ and then ashore,
m’ money soon was flying,
With Judy Lee upon my knee
and in my ear she’s lying.

With m’ new-found friends, m’ money spends,
just as fast as winking,
But when I make to clear the slate
the landlord says: “Keep drinking!”

With m’ payoff gone, m’ clothes in pawn
and Judy set for leaving,
Six months’ of pay’s gone in three days
but Judy isn’t grieving.

When the crimp comes round I’ll take his pound
and his hand I’ll be shaking,
Tomorrow morn’ sail for The Horn
just as the dawn is breaking

For one last trip from port I’ll ship
but next time back I’m swearing,
I’ll settle down in my home town,
no more I’ll go seafaring.

Out on the poop deck, walkin’ about
Second mate Hawkins is so sturdy and so stout
What he is thinkin’ of, he doesn’t know himself
We wish that he would hurry up and strike, strike the bell

Strike the bell second mate, let us go below;
Look ye well to windward you can see it’s going to blow.
Look at the glass you can see that it has fell,
We wish that you would hurry up and strike, strike the bell.

Down in the engine room, workin’ on the pumps
Leftie’s gettin’ oily and he’s ready for his bunk
He cannot find the spanner and he swears likе merry hell
Wishin’ that the sеcond mate would strike, strike the bell

Up in the wheelhouse, Jason leads the band
Holdin’ a squeezebox in his cold and weary hands
Plays a tune to tell us, ‘We’re sailin’ into hell’
Wishin’ that the second mate would strike, strike the bell

Down on the mess deck, Toby’s out of bed
Ready for the dog watch with a tricorn on his head
Thinks about Demelza, makes his poor heart swell
Hopin’ that the second mate will strike, strike the bell

Up on the main deck, Captain Cleave does stand
On the hunt for mermaids with a spyglass in his hand
What he is thinkin’ of, we all know very well
He’s dreamin’ more of chasin’ tail than strikin’ the bell

While I was walking down the beach one bright and sunny day
I saw a great big wooden box a-floatin’ in the bay
I pulled it in and opened it up and much to my surprise
Ooh, I discovered a (*boom-boom-boom*) right before my eyes
Ooh, I discovered a (*boom-boom-boom*) right before my eyes

I picked it up and ran to town as happy as a king
I took it to a guy I knew who’d buy most any thing
But this is what he hollered at me as I walked in his shop
Ooh, get outta here with that (*boom-boom-boom*) before I call a cop
Ooh, get outta here with that (*boom-boom-boom*) before I call a cop

I turned around and got right out, a-runnin’ for my life
And than I took it home with me to give it to my wife
But this is what she hollered at me as I walked in the door
Oh, get outta here with that (*boom-boom-boom*) and don’t come back no more
Oh, get outta here with that (*boom-boom-boom*) and don’t come back no more

I wandered all around the town until I chanced to meet
A hobo who was looking for a handout on the street
He said he’d take most any old thing, he was a desperate man
But when I showed him the (*boom-boom-boom*), he turned around and ran
Oh, when I showed him the (*boom-boom-boom*), he turned around and ran

I wandered on for many years, a victim of my fate
Until one day I came upon St. Peter at the gate
And when I tried to take it inside, he told me where to go
Get outta here with that (*boom-boom-boom*) and take it down below
Oh, get outta here with that (*boom-boom-boom*) and take it down below

The moral of this story is if you’re out on the beach
And you should see a great big box and it’s within your reach
Don’t ever stop and open it up, that’s my advice to you
‘Cause you’ll never get rid of the (*boom-boom-boom*), no matter what you do
Oh, you’ll never get rid of the (*boom-boom-boom*), no matter what you do

---

by Jon Heslop

To those who venture on the sea
Who ply their trade upon the deep
They sail within fates countenance
And pray their gentle lives to keep

And should I be beset by gale
Let me not drink the bitterest cup
Yet if the wind and waves prevail
Let not the deep swallow me up
Let not the deep swallow me up

When the call for rescue comes
From those in peril on this day
No matter how the storms may roll
We cannot turn our heads away

We must go where we are called
Through wind and rain, through wave and foam
‘Tis not for glory nor for gold
We bring poor sailors safely home

We are like leaves upon the wind
We are but men in love with life
We are as feared as any man
To venture ‘gainst the ocean’s strife

---

There are so many variations of this song, good luck!

Heel y’ho boys, let her go, boys
Swing her head round into the weather
Heel y’ho boys, let her go boys
Sailing homeward to Mingulay

What care we though, white the Minch is?
What care we, boys, for windy weather?
When we know that every inch is
Sailing homeward to Mingulay

When the wind is wild with shouting,
And the waves mount ever higher,
Anxious eyes turn ever seaward,
To see us home safe to Mingulay

Wives are waiting, by the pier head,
Gazing seaward, from the heather;
Bring her ’round, boys, then we’ll anchor
‘ere the sun sets on Mingulay.

Ships return now, heavy laden
Mothers holdin’ bairns a-cryin’
They’ll return, yet, when the sun sets
Sailing homeward to Mingulay

Cape Cod girls ain’t got no combs
Haul away, haul away
They brush their hair with codfish bones
And we’re bound away for Australia

Heave her up, me bully, bully boys
Haul away, haul away
Heave her up and don’t you make a noise
And we’re bound away for Australia

Cape Cod kids ain’t got no sleds
Haul away, haul away
They slide down the hills on codfish heads
And we’re bound away for Australia

Now, Cape Cod girls ain’t got no frills
Haul away, haul away
They tie their hair with codfish gills
And we’re bound away for Australia

Now, Cape Cod cats ain’t got no tails
Haul away, haul away
They lost them all in the northeast gales
And we’re bound away for Australia

Safe and sound at home again,
let the waters roar, Jack.
Safe and sound at home again,
let the waters roar, Jack.

Long we’ve tossed on the rolling main,
now we’re safe ashore, Jack.
Don’t forget yer old shipmate,
fallee rallee rallee rallee rye-ee-oh!

Since we sailed from Plymouth Sound,
four years gone, or nigh, Jack.
Was there ever chummies, now,
such as you and I, Jack?

We have worked the self-same gun,
quarterdeck division.
Sponger I and loader you,
through the whole commission.

Oftentimes have we laid out,
toil nor danger fearing,
Tugging out the flapping sail
to the weather earring.

When the middle watch was on,
and the time went slow, boy,
Who could choose a rousing stave,
who like Jack or Joe, boy?

There she swings, an empty hulk,
not a soul below now.
Number seven starboard mess
misses Jack and Joe now.

But the best of friends must part,
fair or foul the weather.
Hand yer flipper for a shake,
now a drink together.

[Chorus x2]

Traditional Folk Song, Roud 475
Variant by The Longest Johns

And it’s all for me grog, me jolly jolly grog
It’s all for me beer and tobacco
Well I’ve spent all me tin with the lassies drinking gin
Far across the western ocean I must wander

Where are me boots, me noggin’, noggin’ boots,
They’re all gone for beer and tobacco.
For the heels they are worn out and the toes are kicked about
And the soles are looking out for better weather

Where is me shirt, me noggin’, noggin’ shirt,
It’s all gone for beer and tobacco.
For the collar is all worn, and the sleeves they are all torn,
And the tail is looking out for better weather.

Well I’m sick in the head and I haven’t been to bed,
Since first I came ashore with me plunder
I’ve seen centipedes and snakes and me head is full of aches
And I’ll have to make a path for way out yonder

‘Twas late ’65 at the old Wallsea Yard
She was commissioned to haul the black tar
We built the Northumbria there on the bar
Roll Northumbria roll
+
For when the Egyptians, they closed the Red Sea
A call came on high from the powers that be
To build the royal monster right down on the quay
Roll Northumbria roll, me boys
Roll Northumbria roll

And it’s one for the hot sun above
Two for the empire we love
And it’s three for the fire that burns down below
Roll on Northumbria
Roll Northumbria roll

Carpathia, Vengeance, Celestial call
She was the tanker to outsize ’em all
From the banks of the Mersey to the Port of Hulal
Roll Northumbria roll
+
And fair Princess Anne threw a bottle of wine
And watched as the giant set down in the Tyne
What lay ahead could no mortal divine
Roll Northumbria roll, me boys
Roll Northumbria roll

So come all you good workmen, beware the command
That comes down on high from the desk of a man
Who’s never held steel or torch in his hands
Roll Northumbria roll
+
For atop a wild breaker the cracks in her frame
Spilled ‘er black guts all across the wild main
She limped away through an ocean of flame
Roll Northumbria roll, me boys
Roll Northumbria roll

[Chorus x2]

Roll Northumbria roll
Roll on Northumbria
Roll Northumbria roll

Oh, Santiana gained the day
Away Santiana
“Napoleon of the west” they say
Along the plains of Mexico

Well, heave her up and away we’ll go
Away Santiana
Heave her up and away we’ll go
Along the plains of Mexico

She’s a fast clipper ship and a bully good crew
And an old salty Yank for a captain too

Santiana fought for gold
Around Cape Horn through the ice and snow

‘Twas on the field of Molly-Del-Rey
Well, both his legs got blown away

It was a fierce and bitter strife
The general Taylor took his life

Santiana, now we mourn
We left him buried off Cape Horn

Windsor is a lovely port we’re proud to sing about
There’s a warehouse full of whisky, though the Yankees do without
And when Customs asks us where we’re bound, we ship our oars and shout:
“We’re bound for Valparaiso in a rowboat”

Pull your oars! We’re on our way!
With a thousand quarts of whisky bound for Valparaiso Bay
And we haven’t no intention for to see the U. S. A.
We’re bound for Valparaiso in a rowboat

Some say that for an ocean trip our craft is very small
But we bold Canadian lads don’t fear a little Cape Horn squall
And a deep sea schooner’s just too big to shoot Niagara Falls
We’re bound for Valparaiso in a rowboat

We’ve sailed for Valparaiso twenty seven times this week
But every time we’ve gotten to the mouth of Muddy Creek
We’ve had to jettison our cargo ’cause the oarlock sprung a leak
We’re bound for Valparaiso in a rowboat

Now some sing of Vancouver, of St John and Halifax
But those salty water cities, they have nothing Windsor lacks
We’ve a doryload of whisky and the muscles in our backs
We’re bound for Valparaiso in a rowboat

Traditional
Adapted by Clayton Kennedy, Nils Brown, and Seán Dagher, 2014
Adapted 2025

I dreamed a dream the other night
Lowlands, lowlands away, my John
My love, she came, dressed all in white
Lowlands away

I dreamed my love came in my sleep
Her cheeks were wet, her eyes did weep

She came to me at my bedside
All dressed in white, like some fair bride

And bravely in her bosom fair
A red, red rose, my love did wear

She made no sound, no word she said
And then I knew my love was dead

Then I awoke to hear the cry
Oh, watch on deck, oh, watch, ahoy!

Traditional folk song
Adapted by The Watersons, 1966
Variant 2025

Come all you bold heroes, give an ear to me song
I’ll sing in the praise of good brandy and rum
There’s a clear crystal fountain near England shall roll
Give me the punch ladle, I’ll fathom the bowl

I’ll fathom the bowl, I’ll fathom the bowl,
Give me the punch ladle, I’ll fathom the bowl

From France we do get brandy, from Jamaica comes rum
Sweet oranges and apples from Portugal come
But stout and strong cider are England’s control
Give me the punch ladle, I’ll fathom the bowl

My wife she do disturb me when I’m laid at my ease
For she does as she likes and she says as she please
My wife she’s a devil, her heart’s black as coal
Give me the punch ladle, I’ll fathom the bowl

(Alternatively)
My love he do disturb me when I’m laid at my ease
For he does as he likes and he says as he please
My love he’s a devil, his heart’s black as coal
Give me the punch ladle, I’ll fathom the bowl

My father he do lie in the depths of the sea
No stone at his head, but what matters to he?
There’s a clear crystal fountain near England shall roll
Give me the punch ladle, I’ll fathom the bowl

Clouds are upon the summer sky,
There’s thunder in the wind.
Pull on, pull on and homeward hie,
Ne’er give one look behind.

Row on, row on, another day
May shine with brighter light.
Ply, ply the oars and pull away,
There’s dawn beyond the night.

Bear where thou goest the words of love,
Say all that words can say.
Changeless affection, strength to prove,
But speed upon the way.

Like yonder river would I glide
To where my heart would be,
My barque would soon outsail the tide
That hurries to the sea.

But yet a star shines constant still
Through yonder cloudy sky,
And hope as bright my bosom fills
From faith that cannot die.

Row on, row on, God speed the way,
Thou canst not linger here.
Storms hang about the close of day,
Tomorrow may be clear.