Rolling Home



Pipe all hands to man the windlass.

See our cable running clear.

As we heave away the anchor,

For old England we will steer.



Rolling home, rolling home,

Rolling home across the sea.

Rolling home to dear old England,

Rolling home, fair land, to thee.



Let us all heave with a will, boys,

Soon our cable we will trip,

And across the briny ocean

We will steer our gallant ship.



Man the bars; heave with a will, lads,

Let all hands that can clap on;

And while we heave round the capstan

We will sing that well-known song.



To Australia's lovely daughters

We will bid a fond adieu.

We shall ne'er forget the hours

That we spent along with you.



We will leave you our best wishes,

We will leave your rocky shores.

For we're bound to dear Old England,

To return to you no more.



Up aloft amongst the rigging

Blows the wild and rushing gale,

Straining every spar and backstay,

Stretching stitch in every sail.



Eighteen months away from England,

Now a hundred days or more

On salt-horse and cracker-hash, boys,

Boston beans that made us sore.



Eastwards, ever eastwards

To the rising of the sun.

Homewards, ever homewards

To the land where we were born.



Ten thousand miles now lay behind us,

Ten thousand miles or more to roam.

Soon we'll see our native country,

Soon we'll greet our dear old home.



Round Cape Horn one winter's morning,

All among the ice and snow

You could hear them shellbacks singing,

''Sheet her home, boys, let her go!''



Heave away, you sons-of-thunder,

For the nor'ard we will steer,

Where the gals and wives are waiting,

Standing there upon the pier.



Cheer up, Jack, bright smiles await you

From the fairest of the fair.

There are loving hearts to greet you

And kind welcomes everywhere.



And the gal you love most dearly,

She's been constant, firm and true.

She will clap you to her bosom,

Saying, ''Jack, I still love you.''



And we'll sing in joyful chorus

In the watches of the night,

And we'll greet the shores of England

When the grey dawn breaks the light.



@sailor @home

See also ROLLHOME

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