Another Trawler Song (1916)
The very best ship that ever I knew,Ah-way O ! to me O,
Was a big black trawler with a deep sea crew-
Sing, my bullies, let the bullgine run.
There was one old devil with a broken nose,
Ah-way O, to me O,
He was four score years, as I suppose-
But sing, my bullies, let the bullgine run.
He was wrecked last March in a Polar storm,
Ah-way O, to me O,
And we asked the old cripple it his feet was warm-
Sing, my bullies, let the bullgine run.
And the old, old devil (he was, ninety at the most),
Ah-way O, to me O,
Roars, "Ay, warm as a lickel piece of toast"-
So sing, my bullies, let the bullgine run.
"For I soaked my sea-boots and my dungarees,
Ah-way O, to me O,
In the good salt water that the Lord don't freeze"-
Oh, sing, ay bullies, let the bullgine run.
-Alfred Noyes. Notes From the Adelaide Newspaper The Register 15 Dec 1916 p. 9.