Lyrics

Sea Ditty One
©️2010, Drexel Rayford, Vagrants Chapel Music, BMI

We hove to and squared out our yards.
And the Mate gave the Captain a wink.
With our anchor firm down
Take a cutter to town
To drown the salt water with drink.

And it’s a high, yi, yo!
Yo, ho, ho bottle of rum!
We’ll tie down our sheets;
And shake out the reefs!
We mean to set sail with the dawn!

Great seas had blasted our ship;
And every man-jack set his will.
Leave our boat at the quay,
The whole crew knows the way
To the tavern up high on the hill.

And it’s a high, yi, yo!
Yo, ho, ho bottle of rum!
We’ll tie down our sheets;
And shake out the reefs!
We mean to set sail with the dawn!

And the crew, they do love their rum;
And some drink tequila so sweet!
They raise a toast to their wives,
And the love of their lives,
With a prayer that the twain never meet!


And it’s a high, yi, yo!
We’ll party real hardy all night!
And you’ll forgive all our fibs
About bowsing our jibs
When ya hear how we stood in the fight!

The bosun, he drinks to the crew
Who stuck by their guns in the fight.
While politicians on shore
Make brave speeches of war,
It’s the sailor that pays with his life.

And it’s a high, yi, yo!
Pass me that flagon of ale!
There’s no use distilling
Your backing and filling!
Just shoot straight and tell us your tale!

And it’s a hi, yi, yo!
Yo ho ho bottle of rum
Tie down those sheets
Shake out those reefs
We mean to set sail with the dawn!

Tie down those sheets and shake out those reefs
We sail for Savannah at dawn.