Up on the poop deck,
Walking all about
There stands the 2nd mate,
So sturdy and so stout
What he is a′thinking,
He don't know himself
And we wish that he would hurry up
And strike, strike the bell

Strike the bell 2nd mate

And let us go below
Look well to windward,
You can see its going to blow
Looking at the glass,
You can see that it fell
And we wish that you would hurry up
And strike, strike the bell

Down on the main deck,
Working on the pumps
Is the poor larboard watch
Wishing for their bunk
Looking out to windward
You can see a mighty swell
And we wish that you would hurry up
And strike, strike the bell

Strike the bell 2nd mate
And let us go below
Look well to windward,
You can see its going to blow
Looking at the glass,
You can see that it fell
And we wish that you would hurry up
And strike, strike the bell

Down in the wheelhouse,
Old Anderson stands
Grasping at the helm
With his frost bitten hands
Looking cockeyed at the compass,
But the course is clear as, ...well.
And we wish that you would hurry up
And strike, strike the bell

Strike the bell 2nd mate
And let us go below
Look well to windward,
You can see its going to blow
Looking at the glass,
You can see that it fell
And we wish that you would hurry up
And strike, strike the bell

Well, down in his cabin,
Our gallant captain stands
Looking out the transom
With a spyglass in his hands
What he is a-thinking,
We all know very well
He′s thinking more to shorten sail
Then striking the bell

Strike the bell 2nd mate
And let us go below
Look well to windward,
You can see its going to blow
Looking at the glass,
You can see that it fell
And we wish that you would hurry up
And strike, strike the bell

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of John Benson's song "Strike The Bell" describe the activities and thoughts of the crew members of a ship in distress as they navigate through a storm. The second mate is on poop deck, unsure of what he's thinking, and the crew urges him to strike the bell so they can go below. The larboard watch is working on the pumps, exhausted and wishing for their bunks, and they can see a mighty swell on the horizon. Old Anderson stands in the wheelhouse, holding the helm tightly with his frostbitten hands and looking cockeyed at the compass, but the course is clear. Meanwhile, the captain is in his cabin, looking out the window with a spyglass in hand, contemplating shortening sail instead of striking the bell.

The song's lyrics are about the perils of sailing and the importance of teamwork during a storm, but it also speaks to the psychological impact of being at sea. Being away from land for months at a time in unpredictable weather can take a toll on sailors, especially during a storm. The crew is wishing for the second mate to strike the bell so they can get to safety, but the captain is more concerned with protecting his ship than the well-being of his crew.

Line by Line Meaning

Up on the poop deck, Walking all about
The sailors are on the poop deck and walking around.

There stands the 2nd mate, So sturdy and so stout
The second mate is standing and appears strong.

What he is a′thinking, He don't know himself
The second mate is lost in thought and uncertain of his own thinking.

And we wish that he would hurry up And strike, strike the bell
The sailors want him to stop thinking and ring the ship's bell.

Strike the bell 2nd mate And let us go below
The sailors want the second mate to ring the bell so they can go back below deck.

Look well to windward, You can see its going to blow
The sailors are warning the second mate to pay attention to the wind as it may cause trouble.

Looking at the glass, You can see that it fell
The sailors are checking the barometer and noticing it has dropped, indicating a storm may be coming.

And we wish that you would hurry up And strike, strike the bell
The sailors once again urge the second mate to ring the bell.

Down on the main deck, Working on the pumps
Some sailors are on the main deck working on the pumps to keep the ship afloat.

Is the poor larboard watch, Wishing for their bunk
The sailors on watch on the left side of the ship are tired and wish to rest.

Looking out to windward You can see a mighty swell
Once again, the sailors are observing the wind and anticipating rough seas.

And we wish that you would hurry up And strike, strike the bell
The sailors implore the second mate to ring the bell again.

Down in the wheelhouse, Old Anderson stands
Anderson, the person steering the ship, is in the wheelhouse.

Grasping at the helm, With his frost bitten hands
Anderson's hands are cold and he is holding onto the ship's steering wheel.

Looking cockeyed at the compass, But the course is clear as, ...well.
Anderson may be looking at the compass uncertainly, but the direction they need to go is clear.

And we wish that you would hurry up And strike, strike the bell
The sailors continue to express their desire for the second mate to ring the bell.

Well, down in his cabin, Our gallant captain stands
The captain is in his cabin.

Looking out the transom, With a spyglass in his hands
The captain is using a spyglass to observe what is happening outside.

What he is a-thinking, We all know very well
The sailors are certain the captain is considering reducing sail due to the expected storm.

He′s thinking more to shorten sail Then striking the bell
The captain's focus is on reducing sail, rather than ringing the bell as the sailors request.

Strike the bell 2nd mate And let us go below
The song ends with another plea for the second mate to ring the bell so the sailors can go below deck.

Contributed by Samuel F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.