Sixteen Pence

by Micky Slinger

Row and row all night and day
Rank and privilege stripped away
Jumping ship with treacherous scum
Sixteen pence and a yardarm slung
Sold out for a fortnights pay
Row ye bastards row!

Our captain was a pious sot
Flog a man for his rightful tot
For drinking is the devils hand
Save the crew and kill a man
Weigh him down with six pound shot
Row ye bastards row!

Six of us went to the cask
Just to fill O’Brian’s flask
Midshipman Finn that little bum
Rang the bell “they’re stealing rum!”
Two of us took to the task
Row ye bastards row!

Small and frail was Mister Finn
Cracked his skull with a belay pin
He didn’t make much of a fuss
Dragged him in the boat with us
I was sure we done him in
Now row ye bastards row!

We’d been at sea ten days or more
When finally we spotted shore
Too bad for poor Mister Finn
Fraid there ain’t much left of him
One days pull to Singapore
Now row ye bastards row!

Now put your backs into it men
For we who live our lives in sin
Give it all and haul away
Live to see another day
Freedom’s just around the bend
Row ye bastards row!

Now row ye bastards row!