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-of-war And I've found a sailor ain't a sailor anymore Don't haul on the rope and don't climb up the mast And if you see a sailing ship, it mightn't be your last Just get your cities ready for another on the shore A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore Well, the keller called 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, your sleeping bags, but what's a hammock for? And swinging from the deck, had a lion on the floor Don't haul on the rope and don't climb up the mast And if you see a sailing ship, it mightn't be your last Just get your cities ready for another on the shore A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore They gave us an engine, it first went up and down And then with more technology, the engine went around We didn't know our steam and diesels, but what's a maniard for? A stoker ain't a stoker with a shovel anymore Don't haul on the rope and don't climb up the mast And if you see a sailing ship, it mightn't be your last Just get your cities ready for another on the shore A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore Don't haul on the rope and don't climb up the mast And if you see a sailing ship, it mightn't be your last Just get your cities ready for another on the shore A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore Don't haul on the rope and don't climb up the mast And if you see a sailing ship, it mightn't be your last Just get your cities ready for another on the shore A sailor ain't a sailor, ain't a sailor anymore