Chinatown Bumboat
Salty Dick Lyrics
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And I spied a fair damsel as she hove in sight.
I ran up my number, to which she replied,
"I'm a Chinatown bumboat going out with the tide,
"I'm a Chinatown bumboat going out with the tide."
I passed her a hawser and took her in tow,
We crossed down the way like a couple should go.
And we dropped out mudhooks at the end of the street. (And we dropped out mudhooks at the end of the street.
She then led me up to a third-story floor,
And in her fine stateroom I soon laid her o'er.
She cleaned up her courses and her red flag downhaul,
Laid her lily-white hand on me reeftackle-fall.
Laid her lily-white hand on me reeftackle-fall.
I gazed in her sternsheets, saw plenty of room,
And into her hullpipe I shoved my jibboom.
With her fenders o'erhanging like a bent scupper's lip,
Pretty Polly's a pirate who scuttled my ship.
Pretty Polly's a pirate who scuttled my ship.
She rolled and she pitched like a ship in a storm,
And cried out, "Oh, sailor, you're doing me harm!
You're in the wrong port!" she cried out in alarm.
Well, the wrong port be damned, any port in a storm.
Well, the wrong port be damned, any port in a storm.
She burnt down me rigging clean down to the hull,
And back to the sickbay me punt I did scull.
With me foregaps all bent and me mainmast unstrung,
The doctor said, "Sailor, yer jibboom is sprung."
The doctor said, "Sailor, yer jibboom is sprung."
Now I'm lying in sickbay, me stern to the wall,
The Chinatown bumboat the cause of it all.
It's ashes to ashes and dust unto dust,
Tell me, where is the woman a sailor can trust?
Tell me, where is the woman a sailor can trust?
The song "Chinatown Bumboat" by Salty Dick tells the story of a sailor who meets a woman in Chinatown and proceeds to have an amorous encounter with her. The sailor narrates his journey through Sand Street on a fine summer night, where he sees a beautiful damsel who reciprocates his interest. He soon discovers that she is a "Chinatown bumboat," a type of boat that ferries goods and women in Chinatown, and offers to take her with him. They head to an alley and eventually end up in her "fine stateroom" where they engage in sexual activities.
The lyrics use nautical terms to create a vivid and humorous picture of the encounter, from "dropping mudhooks at the end of the street" to "shoving in the jibboom." However, the encounter turns out to be disastrous for the sailor. The woman, known as Pretty Polly, turns out to be a pirate who causes damage to his ship, leaving him injured and seeking medical attention. The sailor ends the song asking where he can find a woman he can trust.
Overall, the song is a humorous and ribald story of a sailor's encounter with a woman in Chinatown that uses nautical metaphors to describe sexual activities.
Line by Line Meaning
I was strolling down Sand Street one fine summer night
I was casually walking down Sand Street on a beautiful summer evening
And I spied a fair damsel as she hove in sight.
I noticed an attractive woman as she came into my view.
I ran up my number, to which she replied,
I approached her and introduced myself, and she responded,
"I'm a Chinatown bumboat going out with the tide,
"I am a prostitute from Chinatown who is ready to leave soon."
"I'm a Chinatown bumboat going out with the tide."
"I am a prostitute from Chinatown who is leaving soon."
I passed her a hawser and took her in tow,
I offered to accompany her and led the way.
We crossed down the way like a couple should go.
We proceeded casually down the street together like a couple.
We turned in an alley not too clean or neat,
We entered an unsanitary and dingy alley.
And we dropped out mudhooks at the end of the street.
We stopped at the end of the alley.
She then led me up to a third-story floor,
She brought me to the third floor of a building.
And in her fine stateroom I soon laid her o'er.
I had sex with her in her luxurious room.
She cleaned up her courses and her red flag downhaul,
She cleaned herself up and got dressed.
Laid her lily-white hand on me reeftackle-fall.
She rested her pure hand on my genitals.
I gazed in her sternsheets, saw plenty of room,
I noticed her ample posterior, which was highly appealing to me.
And into her hullpipe I shoved my jibboom.
I inserted my penis into her vagina.
With her fenders o'erhanging like a bent scupper's lip,
Her breasts hung over me like a ship's gutter.
Pretty Polly's a pirate who scuttled my ship.
The woman I was with was a seductive woman who ruined my life.
She rolled and she pitched like a ship in a storm,
She moved and writhed like a ship in turbulent waters.
And cried out, "Oh, sailor, you're doing me harm!
She exclaimed, "Oh, Sailormen, you are hurting me!"
You're in the wrong port!" she cried out in alarm.
"You have made a mistake by coming to me!" she exclaimed in a panic.
Well, the wrong port be damned, any port in a storm.
I didn't care if I was mistaken, I just needed to satisfy my desires.
She burnt down me rigging clean down to the hull,
She exhausted me to the point of physical and emotional breakdown.
And back to the sickbay me punt I did scull.
I returned to the infirmary, feeling weak and defeated.
With me foregaps all bent and me mainmast unstrung,
My body and spirit were weak and exhausted.
The doctor said, "Sailor, yer jibboom is sprung."
The physician told me my penis was damaged.
Now I'm lying in sickbay, me stern to the wall,
I am in a state of pain and recovery in the hospital.
The Chinatown bumboat the cause of it all.
I attribute my current suffering and pain to the prostitute from Chinatown.
It's ashes to ashes and dust unto dust,
The outcome of my actions is unavoidable and devastating.
Tell me, where is the woman a sailor can trust?
I am questioning where I can find a woman who is trustworthy and worth my love.
Tell me, where is the woman a sailor can trust?
I am questioning where I can find a woman who is trustworthy and worth my love.
Contributed by Alexandra A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.