Funky folk tunes, saucy songs and an infectious stage energy, the band mixes fiddles & squeezeboxes, guitar noise & synth bass, and a feast of international hand percussion to bring you an unforgettable folk-rock extravaganza. Grounded in English traditions - but never afraid to explore more exotic musical avenues - they create a sound that is equal parts tasty, dramatic and danceable.
They began in 2009 with an EP entitled Heaven's To Betsy. Albums followed, including Tomorrow We’ll Be Sober (2011), Whip Jamboree (2013).
Chicken on a Raft
Blackbeard's Tea Party Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't mind knocking but I ain't going in, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
'Jimmy's' laughing like a drain, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Been looking at m' 'comic cuts' again. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning, oh what a terrible sight to see,
'Dabtoes' for'd and the Dustmen aft, sitting there picking at a 'chicken on a raft'.
Hey -oh, chicken on a raft, Oy -oh, chicken on a raft.
They gave me the Middle and the Forenoon too, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
And now I'm pulling in the whaler's crew, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Seagulls wheeling overhead, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
I ought to be 'flogging' in a feather bed. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
I had a little girl in 'Donny B', (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
And oh, she made a fool of me, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Her heart was like a Pusser's shower, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
From hot to cold in a quarter of an hour. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
An Amazon girl lives in Dumfries, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
She only has kids in twos and threes, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Her sister lives in Maryhill, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
She says she won't but I think she will. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
We kissed goodbye on the midnight bus, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
She didn't cry, she didn't fuss, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Am I the man that she loves best? (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Or am I just a cuckoo in another man's nest? (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
The lyrics to Blackbeard's Tea Party's song "Chicken on a Raft" portray a light-hearted and humorous portrayal of life on board a whaling ship. The song is primarily made up of several seemingly unrelated verses that touch on various topics from the singer's life.
The opening verse describes the skipper, who is drinking gin in the wardroom. Although the singer doesn't want to disturb the skipper, he feels left out and mentions that Jimmy is laughing again while looking at comic books. The second verse describes the mundane workday of the singer, who is tasked with cleaning the ship and handling the crew's chicken meals. The third verse touches on the singer's failed love life, particularly with a woman from Donny B. The final verse considers the singer's feelings of uncertainty and confusion about his love interests.
While each verse appears at first to be unrelated, they together present a humorous depiction of life on board a whaling ship, highlighting the monotony of the work and the levity that the crew found in everyday situations.
Line by Line Meaning
Skipper's in the wardroom drinking gin, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
The ship's captain is having gin in the confined space of the ship. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
I don't mind knocking but I ain't going in, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
It is not appropriate to disrupt the captain's routines. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
'Jimmy's' laughing like a drain, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Someone named Jimmy is laughing loudly. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Been looking at m' 'comic cuts' again. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Jimmy has been reading humorous stories. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning, oh what a terrible sight to see,
'Dabtoes' for'd and the Dustmen aft, sitting there picking at a 'chicken on a raft'.
Hey -oh, chicken on a raft, Oy -oh, chicken on a raft.
Hey -oh, chicken on a raft, Oy -oh, chicken on a raft.
The sailors on the ship are eating chicken on a wooden board for breakfast. (Hey-oh, chicken on a raft) It is an unpleasant sight. (Oy -oh, chicken on a raft)
They gave me the Middle and the Forenoon too, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
I have been assigned to work throughout the morning. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
And now I'm pulling in the whaler's crew, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
I am now working with the crew responsible for hunting whales. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Seagulls wheeling overhead, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Seagulls are circling above. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
I ought to be 'flogging' in a feather bed. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
I should be sound asleep in a comfortable bed right now. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
I had a little girl in 'Donny B', (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
I used to have a girlfriend in Doncaster. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
And oh, she made a fool of me, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
My ex-girlfriend embarrassed me. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Her heart was like a Pusser's shower, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
She was unpredictable and inconsistent in her feelings. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
From hot to cold in a quarter of an hour. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Her emotions shifted quickly. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
An Amazon girl lives in Dumfries, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
There is a tall girl in Dumfries, Scotland. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
She only has kids in twos and threes, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
She seems to always have children in pairs or threes. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Her sister lives in Maryhill, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Her sister resides in Maryhill, Scotland. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
She says she won't but I think she will. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
She claims she won't have any more children, but I think she will. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
We kissed goodbye on the midnight bus, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
We parted ways while leaving each other with a kiss on the midnight bus. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
She didn't cry, she didn't fuss, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
She was calm and collected during our goodbye. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Am I the man that she loves best? (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Do I hold a special place in her heart? (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Or am I just a cuckoo in another man's nest? (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Am I just a stranger in her life? (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Contributed by Isaac S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ingamelevi1929
Found this band through Tom Scott's talk on privacy 6 years ago which was just recommended to me by YouTube
@randomuploads8471
Yes
@JolanXBL
I sought it out, but same origin
@matthewkarle4954
Same mate
@dougie173
Yep me too!!!
@jonboy7879
Blackbeard's Tea Party might be the greatest band of all time.
@ChrisJohnson-zl3kq
Had the band at my wedding and I'll never forget them playing this for me
@patricklester-rourke1396
Absolutely brilliant! Fantastic new recording and hilarious video
@lizk6007
Brilliant! Congrats on ten years. Hopefully many more to come! 😁
@vanessamichaels9512
clear vote for the most underrated video on the internet.