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Drunken Sailor
Blaggards Lyrics


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What shall we do with the drunken sailor,
What shall we do with the drunken sailor,
What shall we do with the drunken sailor early in the morning.

Hey ho and up she rises,
Hey ho and up she rises,
Hey ho and up she rises early in the morning.

What shall we do with the drunken sailor,
What shall we do with the drunken sailor,
What shall we do with the drunken sailor early in the morning.

Throw him in the hull with the captain's daughter,
Throw him in the hull with the captain's daughter,
Throw him in the hull with the captain's daughter early in the morning.

Hey ho and up she rises,
Hey ho and up she rises,
Hey ho and up she rises early in the morning.

What shall we do with the drunken sailor,
What shall we do with the drunken sailor,
What shall we do with the drunken sailor early in the morning.

Shave his balls with a rusty razor,
Shave his balls with a rusty razor,
Shave his balls with a rusty razor early in the morning.

Hey ho and up she rises,
Hey ho and up she rises,
Hey ho and up she rises early in the morning.

What shall we do with the drunken sailor,
What shall we do with the drunken sailor,
What shall we do with the drunken sailor early in the morning.

Hey ho and up she rises,
Hey ho and up she rises,
Hey ho and up she rises early in the morning.

Hey ho and up she rises,
Hey ho and up she rises,
Hey ho and up she rises early in the morning.

Overall Meaning

The "Drunken Sailor" song's origins remain unknown, but it is believed to have been first sung during the 19th century on ships as a work song. The lyrics suggest that the singer or the crew have encountered a sailor who is drunk and is causing trouble or is unable to perform his duties on board the ship. As a result, they are looking for ways to deal with him.


The first verse starts by posing the question, "What shall we do with the drunken sailor?" The repetition of this question adds to the song's rhythmic and repetitive nature, which made it an ideal choice for sailors to sing while performing monotonous or physically demanding tasks such as hoisting sails or pumping bilges.


In the second verse, the answer to the question is given as "Throw him in the hull with the captain's daughter," which was a euphemism or a humorous way of suggesting that the sailor be locked up below decks.


The song's third verse is the most controversial, with its explicit lyrics about shaving the sailor's balls with a rusty razor. Although this verse is not commonly sung anymore, it has become an important part of the song's history and continues to be included in some versions.


Overall, the "Drunken Sailor" song has become an iconic sea shanty, which continues to be sung by sailors and enthusiasts worldwide. Its catchy tune and humorous lyrics have made it a favorite in pubs and maritime festivals, and it has been used in various movies and TV shows, including SpongeBob Squarepants.


Line by Line Meaning

What shall we do with the drunken sailor,
What is the best course of action for us to take regarding the intoxicated seaman?


Hey ho and up she rises,
A chant to motivate everyone to lift something or start a task


Throw him in the hull with the captain's daughter,
Lock him in the ship's storage area with the captain's offspring


Shave his balls with a rusty razor,
Use a dull, rusty razor to remove hair from his genitals as punishment


Hey ho and up she rises,
A chant to motivate everyone to lift something or start a task


Hey ho and up she rises,
A chant to motivate everyone to lift something or start a task


Hey ho and up she rises early in the morning.
A chant to motivate everyone to rise early and start working




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Michael William Hawkins, John Leonard Mcdonnell, John Anthony Brown, Jonathan Robert Cleave, Rose Prince, Christopher John Lethbridge, Trevor Frederick Grills, Julian Nicholas Brown, Nigel Sherratt, Jeremy David Brown, Richard Peter Rowe, Louise Brown, Ru

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@turbowolf302

Boy playin' that fiddle like he just got back from duelin' the devil.

@zanethederahn4079

That's because that is Johnny! :D

@gamepad3153

@@zanethederahn4079 all it would need to back that fiddle up is an overdriven guitar.

@cody3665

Futurama reference?

@wompwomp_ricky

it's johnny

@blaggards

That boy is a woman.

2 More Replies...

@molivier616

"Shave his balls with a rusty razor."

the best lyrics by far

@molivier616

Alessia Aikley I'll only shave Satan's ;]

@Michael92EU

Alessia Aikley The point is not in shaving the balls. The point is in the rusty razor :D

@bencohen6645

Михаил Михаил
im pretty sure the shaving location really adds up in this song

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