Source: Horntip Collection - Half-Mind Hymnal 2011

Lyrics

From Jacksing, by Sharkey Ward

When the man-‘o-war or merchant ship, Comes sailing into port, The jolly tar with joy, Will sing out “Land ahoy!” With his pockets full of money, And a parrot in a cage, He smiles at all the pretty girls, Upon the landing stage.

All the nice girls love a sailor, all the nice girls love a tar. ‘Cause there’s something about a sailor, Well, you know what sailors are. Bright and breezy, free and easy, He’s the ladies’ pride and joy. He’s been up our Lady Jane, and he’s going up again, Ship ahoy, sailor boy.

Jack is partial to the yellow girls, Across the Eastern seas. With lovely almond eyes, The tar they hypnotise. And when he goes to the Sandwich Isles, He loves the dusky belles, Dressed up a la Salome, Colored beads and oyster shells.

All the nice girls like a candle, all the nice girls like a wick, Because there’s something about a candle, That reminds them of a prick. Nice and greasy, slips in easy, It’s the surest way to joy, It’s been up the Queen of Saipan, And it’s going up again, Syph ahoy, syph ahoy.

He will spend his money freely, And he’s generous to his pals. While Jack has got a sou, There’s half of it for you. And it’s just the same in love or war, He goes through with a smile. And you can trust a sailor, He’s a white man all the while.

All the nice boys like a harlot, all the nice boys like a whore, Because there’s something about a harlot, That they’ve never known before. She’ll be willing, for a shilling, And she’ll pep you up, my boy, But she’ll leave you on the rocks, With a bloody good dose of pox, Syph ahoy, syph ahoy.

EXTRA VERSE: All the parsons like a choir boy, all the parsons like a bum, Because there’s something about a choir boy, That would make an angel come. Roll him over, sleep in clover, It’s a curate’s only joy, And you needn’t give a rap, For you’ll never catch the clap, Syph ahoy, syph ahoy.