The Common Sailor
Traditional:
courtesy of www.SailorSongs.com
I'm the man before the mast That ploughs the raging sea
And on this simple subject Will you please enlighten me
Common sailors we are called Come tell me the reason why
And on this simple subject I'll reply
CHORUS sung after each verse
Don't you call us common sailors anymore
Don't you call us common sailors anymore
Good things to you we bring
Don't you call us common men
We're as good as anybody that's on shore
The young girls of this country Their growing days we bless
We brings them silks and satins Out of which they makes a dress
To gain the heart of some young man As fancy dresses do
Don't never despise the sailor boys That sails the ocean blue
The young gents of this country They're sitting at their ease
Not thinking on the stormy nights That we spent on the seas
We brings the leaves to make cigars To decorate their face
They wouldn't call us common If they were sometimes in our place
When speaking of a man ashore We never hear you say
He's a common this or common that Be his calling what it may
Be he a traveling tinker Or a scavenger, or a sweep
Then why call us common sailors Who battle with the deep
The author of this website has put a lot of time and effort into gathering the greatest collection of sea shanties for the world to enjoy - There are songs that have been to sung to a job of work at sea for many, many years and collecting them has been a great endeavour. - Roger Chartier has made the effort out of his own interest and the requests that he has gotten to do this work from fellow musicians who wanted a good source of sea shanties to draw on and learn from. He has been told that for this effort he is a remarkable man.
