Memory carries my fancy
Back to the days that are long past gone;
There stands a sailor dressed in garments of blue,
Biding a lone, weeping widow adieu
Vows of the future he laughingly makes,
While from her finger a keeper she takes,
And with words so tender, broken with tears
These were the words whispered into my ears

(Quicker)
"'Tis but a little golden ring she gave to me with pride;
Wear it for your mother's sake when you're on the tide.
If you are in trouble, comfort it will bring
To think of me while gazing on that little golden ring."

Now it's "God bless us," 'twixt Mother and me.
Good-by forever, perhaps it may be.
Then he turned and manfully strode,
Till hidden from view by a turn in the road.
When on the vessel the anchor is weighed,
Then for some strange destination they made,
But bright as a beacon my keeper doth gleam,
And the voice of my mother doth say in my dream:

Time brought promotion and honor to me.
Duty was done as duty should be.
Every mail brought me a letter from home,
Oft-times were opened in grief, I must own.
Slowly but surely those letters decreased,
Then all of a sudden they silently ceased.
But bright as a beacon my keeper doth gleam,
And the voice of my mother doth say in my dream:

Now then, old England's white cliffs are at hand;
Once more I see my own native land.
Strangers were there for to answer my call,
For Mother was sleeping her last sleep of all.
Gold or silver or jewels divine
Could not tempt me to part with that keeper of mine,
For bright as a beacon that keeper doth gleam,
And the voice of my mother doth say in my dream:

Introduction:

Oh the Lord, made the bees,
An' the bees did make the honey,
But the Divil sent the woman foe to rob us of our money.
An around Cape Horn we'll go!
An when me money's all spent ol' gal,
We'll round Cape Horn for more ol' gal ol'gal!

Chorus:

You're the one I do adore.
An all I'm living in hope to see,
Is ol' Swansea Town once more!

Now we're outward bound around Cape Horn
to 'Frisco an' around
I'll send you letters when we get there,
An' you'll know I'm homeward bound ol' gal ol' gal!

Now when we're homeward bound, my dear
I'll bring you silks galore,
I'll bring you jewels an' rings an' things,
An ye won't wear the weeds no more, ol' gal ol' gal.

Now when we're leaving 'Frisco Town,

Outside of the Golden Gate,
I'll write my last letter to you, me dear
Then ye won't have so long to wait, old gal, old gal!

An' when we're leavin' the old Fallerones,
bound for my o' Swansea,
I know ye'll pull gal, on the string,

For to haul me in from sea, old gal, old gal!

An then when we're rounded old Cape Horn,

Climbin' the hill for home
Passed teh Western Islands into the Bay
We'll have no further for to roam, old gal, old gal!

An' then when we up the Channel do sail,

I'll pray that you'll be there,
To wait, me dear, on Swansea pier
My lovely presents for to share, old gal, old gal!

When Swansea Town we're off once more,

We'll see the lights so clear,
I know that's Megan down on the pier
In her dimity apron dear, old gal, old gal!

Skipper in the wardroom drinking gin,
Ch: Hey-o, chicken on a raft!
I don't mind knocking, but I ain't a-going in!
Ch: Hey-o, chicken on a raft!
Jimmy's laughing like a drain,
Ch: Hey-o, chicken on a raft!
Been lookin' at my comic cuts again,
Ch: Hey-o, chicken on a raft!

Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning,
Oh, what a terrible sight to see,
Dabtoes forrard and the dustmen aft,
Sittin' there a-pickin' at a chicken on a raft!

Hey-o, chicken on a raft!
Oy-o, chicken on a raft!
Hey-o, chicken on a raft!
Oy-o, chicken on a raft!

They gave me the middle and the forenoon too,
Now I'm pullin' in a whaler's crew.
There's a seagull wheelin' overhead,
Oh to be floatin' in a feather bed!

We kissed goodbye on the midnight bus
She didn't cry, she didn't fuss.
Am I the one that she loves best
Or am I just a cuckoo in another man's nest?

An Amazon girl lived in Dumfries,
She only had her kids in twos and threes;
Her sister lives in Maryhill,
She says she won't but I think she will!

I had another girl in Donny B
And did she make a fool of me.
Her heart was like a pusser's shower,
From hot to cold in a quarter of an hour!