Lyrics

I runned away to sea, dear Mother
To sea I runned away
And now I writes this letter
From far-off in Bombay

CHORUS:
The life of a cabin boy is bad
Oh how I miss ye Mother and Dad
And how I'm wishin' I never had
Runned away to sea
A cabin boy to be

I'm the lowest form o' life aboard
The lowest form I be
The rats down in the bilges
Has got it better than me
From humble seaman to or’ficers
A rope's end's what I get
An’ I'm afeared ol’ Jameson
Will up an' drown'd me yet

CHORUS

The Captain hates the sight o' me
I'll tell ye how I know
Every time he sees me face
The blighter tells me so
The bloody bosun's soaked in rum
He flies like a Chinese kite
For the way he pats me on me bum
I'll kill 'im sure some night

CHORUS

Oh the crew is fed with lowly swill
And I am served the dregs
What crawls with little weevils
And smells like rotten eggs
A proper berth I hasn't got
I sleeps where I am able
Much better off I think I’d be
In some old smelly stable

CHORUS

BRIDGE:
Oh it's swab the deck! Empty that bucket!
Then stick it back inter the hole where ye tuck-it
Yes it's outta me way, the Divil take yer
Move yer arse, afore I break yer
Oh, woe... is... me!

Now I must go and send this letter
We sails again tonight
Please warn me little brother
About his brother’s plight
A fool I was, dear Mother
For runnin' away to sea
I fancied meself a Captain
But a Cabin Boy I be

CHORUS