Collier Brig
Words & Music Traditional - From the Singing of Bob
Roberts
(Recorded by Tom Lewis on Demand Performance)
The worst old brig that ever did weigh
Sailed out of Harwich on a windy day
And we're waitin' for the day, waitin' for the day
Waitin' for the day that we get our pay.
She was a galley built in Roman time,
Held together with bits of twine.
And we're waitin' for the day, waitin' for the day
Waitin' for the day that we get our pay.
The skipper's half Dutch and the mate's a Jew,
The crew were fourteen hands too few.
And we're waitin' for the day, waitin' for the day
Waitin' for the day that we get our pay.
There's nothing in the galley, nothing in the hold
But the skipper's come aboard with a bag of gold.
And we're waitin' for the day, waitin' for the day
Waitin' for the day that we get our pay.
Off Orford Ness she sprang a leak,
You could hear the poor old timbers creak.
And we're waitin' for the day, waitin' for the day
Waitin' for the day that we get our pay.
We pumped our way round Lowestoff Ness,
But the wind backed round to the west-sou'-west
And we're waitin' for the day, waitin' for the day
Waitin' for the day that we get our pay.
Under the lighthouse at Cromer cliff,
She's steering like a wagon with a wheel adrift.
And we're waitin' for the day, waitin' for the day
Waitin' for the day that we get our pay.
Into the Humber, up to the town -
Pump you blighters, pump or drown.
And we're waitin' for the day, waitin' for the day
Waitin' for the day that we get our pay.
The coal was shot by a Keadby crew,
But the bottom was rotten and it fell right through.
And we're waitin' for the day, waitin' for the day
Waitin' for the day that we get our pay.
We're waitin' for the day, waitin' for the day
Waitin' for the day that we get our pay.
