My father often told me when I was just a lad

A sailor’s life is very hard, the food is always bad

But now I’ve joined the Navy, I’m on board a man-o’-war

And now I find a sailor ain’t a sailor anymore

McKillick of our mess he says we’ve had it soft

It wasn’t like this in his day when he was up aloft

We like our bunks and sleeping bags, but what’s a hammock for?

Swinging from the deckhead or lying on the floor?

They gave us an engine that first went up and down

Then with more technology the engine went around

We’re good with steam and diesel, but what’s a mainyard for?

A stoker ain’t a stoker with a shovel anymore

They gave us an Aldis Lamp so we can do it right

They gave us a radio, we signal day and night

We know our codes and ciphers, but what’s a “sema” for?

A bunting-tosser doesn’t toss the bunting anymore

They gave us a radar set to pierce the fog and gloom

Now the lookout’s sitting in a tiny darkened room

Loran does navigation, the sonar says how deep

The Jimmy’s three sheets to the wind, the skipper’s fast asleep

They gave us a songbook so we’d know what to do

They gave us some MP3s, we listened to ’em to

We know our scales and harmonies, but what’s a cutlass for?

A pirate ain’t a pirate ain’t a pirate anymore

Two cans of beer a day, that’s your bleeding lot

But now we gets an extra one because they stopped the Tot

So, we’ll put on our civvy-clothes and find a pub ashore

A sailor’s still a sailor, just like he was before