The Nipper (Ian Geddes; Original tune (in C) by Tom Lewis)
Now way back when I was a nipper,
Before them steam ships came along.
Great clippers were driven by power of wind
Sails blossomed aloft to the lilt of a song
Anchors were weighed by sailors
Sometimes took half of the crew
There were songs for that capstan-work also
Aye, Jack Tar knew a shanty or two
Now sometimes there might be a fiddle
Or a sailor pounding a drum
But you never would get the end of the song
‘Cos the singing would stop when the hauling was done
Phonograph invented by Edison
With a windlass attached to the side,
Replaced “foo-foo bands” formed in the fo’c’sle
And the old sailor songs nearly died
For a while there were whole generations
Who never heard “Blow The Man Down”
The “Drunken Sailor” was often performed
Not knowing ’twas sung as the capstan was turned
Today we’ve revived the shanties
They’re twice as much fun as back then
‘Cos we don’t have to stamp round no capstan
And we sing them right up to the end