Verse 1:
D D
Well, me father often told me when I was just a lad:
D A
a sailor's life is very hard, the food is always bad.
D D
But, now I've joined the Navy, I'm aboard a man-o-war,
D Bm A D
and now I've found a sailor ain't a sailor anymore.
Chorus: -still a capella, no guitar-chords needed-
D D
Don't haul on the rope, don't climb up the mast,
D Bm E7 A7
if you see a sailing ship it might be your last.
D D
Just get your civvies ready for another run-ashore,
D Bm G A D
a sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore.
Interlude:
D D
D Bm G A D
Verse 2:
D D
Well, the killick of our mess, he says we had it soft,
D A
it wasn't like that in his day when we were up aloft.
D D
We like our bunks and sleeping bags but what's a hammock for?
D Bm A D
Swinging from the deckhead, or lying on the floor?
Chorus:
D D
Don't haul on the rope, don't climb up the mast,
D Bm E7 A7
if you see a sailing ship it might be your last.
D D
Just get your civvies ready for another run-ashore,
D Bm G A D
a sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore.
Interlude:
D D
D Bm G A D
Verse 3:
D D
They gave us an engine that first went up and down,
D A
then with more technology the engine went around.
D D
We know our steam and diesels but what's a mainyard for?
D Bm A D
a stoker ain't a stoker with a shovel anymore.
Chorus:
D D
Don't haul on the rope, don't climb up the mast,
D Bm E7 A7
if you see a sailing ship it might be your last.
D D
Just get your civvies ready for another run-ashore,
D Bm G A D
a sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore.
Interlude:
D D
D Bm G A D
Verse 4:
D D
They gave us an Aldiss Lamp, so, we could do it right,
D A
they gave us a radio, we signaled day and night.
D D
We know our codes and cyphers but what's a sema for?
D
a bunting-tosser doesn't toss the bunting anymore.
Chorus:
D D
Don't haul on the rope, don't climb up the mast,
D Bm E7 A7
if you see a sailing ship it might be your last.
D D
Just get your civvies ready for another run-ashore,
D Bm G A D
a sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore.
Interlude:
G G G D G G D G
G G G D G G D G
Em Em D D Em Em D Em
Em Em D D Em Em D Bm
G G G D G G D G
G G G D G G C D G
Interlude -key change-: E E
Verse 5:
E
Two cans of beer a day and that's your bleeding lot,
-nc-
and now we've got an extra one because they stopped The Tot.
E E E E
So, we'll put on our civvy-clothes find a pub ashore.
E
a sailor's just a sailor just like he was before.
Chorus:
E E
Don't haul on the rope, don't climb up the mast,
E Dbm Gb7 B7
if you see a sailing ship it might be your last.
E E
Just get your civvies ready for another run-ashore,
E Dbm A B E
a sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore.
End-Chorus:
E E
Don't haul on the rope, don't climb up the mast,
E Dbm Gb7 B7
if you see a sailing ship it might be your last.
E E
Just get your civvies ready for another run-ashore,
E Dbm A B E
a sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore.
E Dbm A B E
a sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore.
E Dbm A B E E
a sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore.
