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.