Swallow the Anchor
Words & Music by Tom Lewis
(Recorded by Tom Lewis on Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Singer!)
You've made some close friends by the
after bulkhead,
Many still sailing, a few good ones dead,
And you've taken your leave with a handclasp and smile,
And lied to each other see-you in-a-while;
But you never went sailing no more.
Geordie 'Tug' Wilson was your first sea dad,
On watch and ashore he was Jack the Lad,
But at the trip's ending his pension was due
And the last thing you heard 'Tug' Wilson shot through;
So he never went sailing no more.
Chorus:
Swallow the anchor make for the shore, after this trip you'll
go sailing no more.
Perhaps you'll regret all the time spent at sea,
You'll never forget all that fine company, and you'll never go
sailing no more.
'Rusty' Steele's banjo could get you to sing,
While his tenor harmonies made the mess ring,
But a lifetime of sailing was not 'Rusty''s fate,
'Cos his wife wanted more than a part-time first mate;
So he never went sailing no more.
In bar rooms from Plymouth to Trincomalee,
You've supped beer and vino ashore on the spree,
Just you, 'Dusty' Miller and big 'Wrecker' Ball,
Like three Musketeers, all for one - one for all;
But you never went sailing no more.
'Buster', 'Smudge', 'Jacko', I'm drinking to you,
'Paddy', 'Jock', 'Taffy' and 'Nobby' Clarke too,
You weren't just shipmates, you was good friends as well,
Now our watch is ending so strike the eighth bell;
For we'll never go sailing no more.
