On HMS Cowheel

On the H.M.S. Cowheel each time I go to sea
To the waves I wave my hand and the waves wave back to me
All of my joints very soon they'll seize up
I've got to sleep with my blinking knees up
My bed's shrunk, that's all bunk, on the H.M.S. Cowheel
My supper tripe was tough and stringy
I'd been chewing up a rubber dinghy
It's not grub, it's India rub on the H.M.S. Cowheel
Oh a sailor's life and a sailor's wife, that's the life for me
An able seaman free, as able as can be
Now I'm a sea dog someone told me
If I'm a dog then a pup they've sold me
They can't boast one lamp post, on the H.M.S. Cowheel
Off to a wreck full speed we're going
Half a dozen girls on a raft we're towing
Save their lives, we need wives, on the H.M.S. Cowheel
Into the dry dock when we've got 'em
We'll get to work and scrape their boilers
We won't shirk for dirty work, on the H.M.S. Cowheel
Oh a sailor's life and a sailor's wife, that's the life for me
An able seaman free, aye, as able as can be
When we're ashore at night at Dover
We give the ladies the quick once over
Hoist your slacks then make tracks, for the H.M.S. Cowheel
I take the wheel and I box the compass
My clever boxing causes a rumpus
Just one round then we're aground, on the H.M.S. Cowheel
When all the rest of the crew are resting
Up in the crow's nest I'm bird nesting
Eggs are few, but we might lay two, on the H.M.S. Cowheel
Oh a sailor's life and a sailor's wife, that's the life for me
An able seaman free, by gum, as able as can be
Carrying a kit bag home I trundle
Suddenly the wife sees my big bundle
She says "Gee, is that for me, from the H.M.S. Cowheel?"