Watches
(Tom Lewis)
cho. So keep the engine goin' round
The diesel goin' up and down
Keep the old ship goin' homeward bound
Here's another middle watch
Another hair upon me chest
There's just an hour or two
'til I can go and get some rest
Mornin', dogs, or afternoon
The forenoon or the first
Well there's none of them comes easy
But the middle is the worst
How did I get into this
When I was just a boy
My mother wouldn't let me go
I was her pride and joy
When she tried to stop me
I just ran away to sea
But mothers always know best
Now that's very plain to me
I'd never heard of watchkeeping
I can't have been too bright
I thought that when the sun went down
We'd anchor for the night
But my old sea-dad put me straight
He said we're one in three
That's four hours on and eight hours off
And working in between
At four o'clock next morning
I was down below in Hell
Scrubbin' plates and punchin' sprays
And making tea as well
After four long hours
I was ready fit to drop
I'd an hour off for breakfast
And a turn-to up on top
Then I heard, in submarines,
There's extra money paid
And only two hour watches
I thought I'd got it made
I quickly volunteered
Only to to find I had been green
That was two hours on and fours hours off
And workin' in betweem
After twenty years, you find
There's not much left to learn
And when it comes to watchkeeping
You have to take your turn
When you shake and just roll out
And get yourself below
Your "offo's " waiting for relief
So off-watch he can go
Here's another middle watch
Another hair upon me chest
There's just an hour or two
'til I can go and get some rest
Mornin', dogs, or afternoon
The forenoon or the first
Well, there's none of them comes easy
But the middle is the worst
Copyright Tom Lewis
From Tom Lewis album "Surfacing"
Self Propelled Music
Salmo B.C.
SGL
APR99
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!