The Last Shanty

Well, me father often told me when I was just a lad
 A sailor's life is very hard, the food is always bad
 But now I've joined the navy, I'm aboard a man-o-war
 And now I've found a sailor ain't a sailor any more
 Don't haul on the rope, don't climb up the mast
 If you see a sailing ship, it might be your last
 Just get your civvies ready for another run-ashore
 A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore
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 Well, the killick of our mess, he says we had it soft
 It wasn't like that in his day when we were up aloft
 We like our bunks and sleeping bags, but what's a hammock for?
 Swinging from the deckhead, or lying on the floor?
 Don't haul on the rope, don't climb up the mast
 If you see a sailing ship, it might be your last
 Just get your civvies ready for another run-ashore
 A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore
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 They gave us an engine that first went up and down
 Then with more technology, the engine went around
 We know our steam and diesels, but what's a mainyard for?
 A stoker ain't a stoker with a shovel anymore
 Don't haul on the rope, don't climb up the mast
 If you see a sailing ship, it might be your last
 Just get your civvies ready for another run-ashore
 A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore
 ♪
 They gave us an Aldiss lamp so we could do it right
 They gave us a radio, we signaled day and night
 We know our codes and cyphers, but what's a semaphore?
 A bunting-tosser doesn't toss the bunting anymore
 Don't haul on the rope, don't climb up the mast
 If you see a sailing ship, it might be your last
 Just get your civvies ready for another run-ashore
 A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore, ha!
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 Two cans of beer a day and that's your bleeding lot
 And now we've got an extra one because they stopped the tot
 So we'll put on our civvy clothes, find a pub ashore
 A sailor's just a sailor just like he was before
 Don't haul on the rope, don't climb up the mast
 If you see a sailing ship, it might be your last
 Just get your civvies ready for another run-ashore
 A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore
 Don't haul on the rope, don't climb up the mast
 If you see a sailing ship, it might be your last
 Just get your civvies ready for another run-ashore
 A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore
 A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore
 A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore, ha!