Words: Reconstructed from childhood memories by Stan Kelly
Tune: Trad. arr. Stan Kelly (Dorian Mode on D)
© 1961 Heathside Music
Cockily
When I was young and handsome, lads,
As handsome as could be,
I said goodye [terrar] to me mother-in-law
Away I went to sea.
I went aboard a schooner, boys,
The schooner Mary Anne
And we set sail for Walton Gaol
Up the Manchester Ship Canal.
Well, the captain was a sailor, lads,
He'd never been to sea before.
He knew as much about the sea
As the knob on our wash-house [shit-house] door.
All day he slept on the upper deck,
All night he slept below
And he paid the crew a lousy screw,
We were glad to see him go.
Now the quality of Mersey, boys,
It isn't strained at all
It's full of ships [shit] and seaweed
And it tastes like paraffin oil.
We had to drink it every day
For beer we'd never see,
And I scarcely thing we'll get a drink
Till we get to Wallasey.
Notes
The tune is similar to The Banks of the Condamine
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