It was Friday night when we set sail,
And we were not far from the land.
When the captain spied a lovely mermaid
With a comb and a brush in her hand, her hand, her hand,
With a comb and a brush in her hand.
Chorus
Oh! the ocean waves may roll, may roll,
And the stormy winds may blow, may blow-o,
But we poor sailors go skipping to the tops
While the land-lubbers lie down below, below, below,
While the land-lubbers lie down below.
Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship,
And a fine old man was he,
Saying, "This fishy mermaid has warned us of our doom;
We shall sink to the bottom of the sea, the sea, the sea,
We shall sink to the bottom of the sea!"
Then up spoke the mate of our gallant ship,
And a well spoken man was he;
"I've married a wife in Salem Town,
And tonight she a widow will be, will be, will be,
And tonight she a widow will be."
Then up spoke the cook of our gallant ship.
And a RED HOT cook was he;
"I care much more for my kettles and my pots
Than I do for the bottom of the sea, the sea, the sea,
Than I do for the bottom of the sea.
Then up spoke the cabin boy of our gallant ship.
And a scurvy little rascal was he;
"I've nary a soul in Salem Town
Who will care what happened to me, to me, to me,
Who will care what happened to me.
SLOWLY
Then three times round, went our gallant ship
Then three times round went she;
Then three times round, went our gallant ship
And she sank to the bottom of the sea, the sea, the sea,
And she sank to the bottom of the sea.