Drunken Sailor
The Longest Johns Lyrics


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From Tortuga's port we put to sea
And sailed for sixteen days
In the biggest storm I'd ever seen
We almost lost our way
When a call came from a deckhand
"Boys, I think she's going down
But don't you fear
There's enough rum here
To drink until we drown!"

Ho!

What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
Early in the morning
Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
Early in the morning

So this deckhand grabbed a barrel
Broke the seal and took a swig
And soon their screams turned into songs
Their panicked work turned into jigs
The first mate bellowed orders
Ever trying to save their skins
"Any drunken retch
The captain catch
He'll beat all limb from limb!"

Ho!

What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
Early in the morning
Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
Early in the morning

Every man continued drinking
All their duties long forgot
They were deaf to every order
'Til they heard a pistol shot
The captain stood on folks
All swung the cat above his head
"Back to yer post
Or by my ghost
Ye'll wish that ye were dead!"

What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
Early in the morning
Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
Early in the morning

Every drunk received a beating
Some of the drunker managed two
The captain kept an eye
Until he'd sobered up his crew
He then retired to quarters
Put the rum upon his shelf
Sat in his seat
Put up his feet
And drank the rest himself!

Ho!

What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
Early in the morning
Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
Early in the morning

Put him in the longboat 'til he's sober
Shave his belly with a rusty razor




Throw him in the hold with the captain's daughter
Early in the morning

Overall Meaning

The song "Drunken Sailor" by The Longest Johns tells the story of a crew lost at sea during a massive storm. When one of the deckhands warns that the ship is going down, they all begin to panic. However, they soon find solace in the ample supply of rum on board, which they consume in abundance despite the dire situation they find themselves in. As they continue to drink and disregard their duties, the captain intervenes and threatens them with violence to restore order. In the end, the captain himself indulges in the leftover rum and seems to find some peace in doing so.


At a surface level, "Drunken Sailor" might seem like a simple sea shanty about drunkenness and chaos. However, a closer look reveals a commentary on the different ways people cope with difficult situations. The crew's reliance on alcohol represents a way to escape and find comfort in the face of danger, while the captain's demonstration of control represents a different way to cope with stress. The lyrics also touch on authoritarianism and the idea that sometimes discipline and punishment are necessary to maintain order.


In addition to its deeper themes, "Drunken Sailor" has a rich history as a sea shanty. It was first recorded in 1917 by William Main Doerflinger, an American collector of maritime songs, but its origins likely go back much further. The song has gone through many variations and adaptations over the years and has been covered by numerous artists, including The Irish Rovers and Pete Seeger. In recent years, it has gained popularity as a drinking song and has been included in the repertoire of many pub sing-alongs.


Line by Line Meaning

From Tortuga's port we put to sea
We are leaving Tortuga to start our journey at sea


And sailed for sixteen days
We were at sea for sixteen long days


In the biggest storm I'd ever seen
We encountered the strongest storm I had ever witnessed


We almost lost our way
We were on the brink of getting lost


When a call came from a deckhand
One of the sailors alerted us


"Boys, I think she's going down
"I think the ship is sinking


But don't you fear
However, don't be scared


There's enough rum here
We have enough rum


To drink until we drown!"
We can drink ourselves to death without running out of rum


What shall we do with a drunken sailor?
What actions should we take towards an intoxicated sailor?


Early in the morning
At the beginning of the day


Hoo-ray and up she rises (Hoo-ray)
A celebratory shout of encouragement


So this deckhand grabbed a barrel
The sailor took a barrel


Broke the seal and took a swig
He opened the barrel and drank from it


And soon their screams turned into songs
Their fear and cries turned into joyful songs


Their panicked work turned into jigs
Their worried actions turned into lively dances


The first mate bellowed orders
The second in command shouted out directions


Ever trying to save their skins
Attempting to keep everyone safe


"Any drunken retch
"Any intoxicated person


The captain catch
Caught by the captain


He'll beat all limb from limb!"
Will receive a severe punishment


Every man continued drinking
All of the sailors kept drinking


All their duties long forgot
Completely forgetting their responsibilities


They were deaf to every order
Did not hear or listen to any instructions


'Til they heard a pistol shot
Not paying attention until a gunshot got their attention


The captain stood on folks
The captain stood above them


All swung the cat above his head
All faced a severe punishment


"Back to yer post
"Return to your duties


Or by my ghost
Or face my wrath


Ye'll wish that ye were dead!"
You'll regret your actions


Every drunk received a beating
All those who drank were punished


Some of the drunker managed two
Some of the more intoxicated individuals received more than one punishment


The captain kept an eye
The captain kept watch


Until he'd sobered up his crew
Until everyone sobered up


He then retired to quarters
The captain went to his private room


Put the rum upon his shelf
He stored the rum away


Sat in his seat
The captain sat down


Put up his feet
Resting his feet


And drank the rest himself!
He drank the remaining rum by himself


Put him in the longboat 'til he's sober
Put the drunk sailor in the boat until he is sober


Shave his belly with a rusty razor
Threatening to shave the drunk sailor with an old and unclean razor


Throw him in the hold with the captain's daughter
Locking the drunk sailor with the captain's daughter in a storage room


Early in the morning
At the start of the day




Writer(s): Andrew Yates

Contributed by Andrew J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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