Drunken Sailor
The Sandsacks Lyrics
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way, hay, up she rises,
way, hay, up she rises,
early in the morning!
What will we do with the drunken sailor?
what will we do with the drunken sailor?
what will we do with the drunken sailor?
early in the morning?
early in the morning!
Hoist him aboard with a running bowline x3
early in the morning!
Put him in the brig until he's sober. x3
early in the morning!
Make him turn to at shining bright work. x3
early in the morning!
Put him in a boat and row him over x3
early in the morning!
Hoist him up to the topsail yardarm x3
early in the morning!
Make him clean out all the spit-kids x3
early in the morning!
The lyrics to The Sandsacks's song "Drunken Sailor" tell the story of a group of sailors who have come across a drunken sailor among their midst. The repetition of the verse "way, hay up she rises" sets an upbeat and almost playful tone, but the question of what they will do with the drunken sailor raises a more serious and somber note. Rather than simply leave him be, the sailors contemplate several different fates for the drunken sailor.
The first option they consider is to put him in the scuppers with the hose pipe on him, which suggests an attempt to sober him up through some sort of physical punishment or deprivation. The second option is to hoist him aboard with a running bowline, which involves a more concerted effort to contain him and prevent him from causing any more trouble. The third option is to put him in the brig until he's sober, which suggests a more long-term solution to his alcoholism. The final option is to make him turn to at shining bright work or clean out all the spit-kids, which are both types of manual labor that would be used to keep the ship clean and running smoothly. These options all involve a degree of punishment or corrective action, but offer different levels of severity and potential for rehabilitation.
Overall, the song's lyrics reflect the harsh realities of life at sea and the ways in which sailors had to rely on each other to survive. The repetitiveness of the verse and the last line "early in the morning" also suggests an ongoing cycle of drinking and discipline that was likely a common part of life on a ship.
Line by Line Meaning
way, hay up she rises,
The sailors are waking up to start their day.
What will we do with the drunken sailor?
The crew is discussing what to do with a drunk sailor on the ship.
Put him in the sucppers with the hose pipe on him x3
Punish the sailor by putting him in the hold and spraying him with a hose.
Hoist him aboard with a running bowline x3
Pull the sailor back onto the ship with a specific type of knot.
Put him in the brig until he's sober. x3
Lock the sailor in prison until he becomes sober.
Make him turn to at shining bright work. x3
Give the sailor cleaning duties as a punishment.
Put him in a boat and row him over x3
Punish the sailor by putting him in a small boat and making him row.
Hoist him up to the topsail yardarm x3
Hang the sailor from the yardarm as a punishment.
Make him clean out all the spit-kids x3
Give the sailor the unpleasant job of cleaning out the spittoons on the ship.
way, hay, up she rises,
The sailors are still waking up and starting their day.
Contributed by Cole E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.