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Cabin Boy - Audio, Video, Lyrics

This song sort of popped up after I happened across the 1954 film Long John Silver (a.k.a. Long John Silver's Return to Treasure Island), starring Robert Newton, the actor who gave us the quintessential "talk like a pirate" accent. In a scene aboard the ship of the evil Spanish pirate "Mendozer" (i.e. Mendoza,) Long John (Newton) is cutting a dirty deal when the grog runs out. Mendoza calls for the cabin boy, who turns out to be none other than young Jim Hawkins, Silver's protegé from Treasure Island, who has been kidnapped and pressed into service on the pirate vessel. 

Not wanting Mendoza to see that he knows Jim, Silver abuses him roundly and has him summarily flung from the cabin. As Jim collapses in misery at the foot of the stairs leading to the deck, thinking his friend has abandoned him, Newton's voice is heard in the background delivering a classic line: "Cabin boys - none of 'em be any good!" 

That scene got me thinking about sea adventure stories, and I thought it might be fun to write a song on the classic theme of "the boy who ran away to sea" - from the point of view of the boy himself. Here, in a letter back home to Mother, he bewails his folly and the misery it has caused him. 

Sounds like a pretty terrible song, doesn't it? Well, I don't think you'll find yourself too depressed by the end result. Besides, you know how boys will exaggerate to get sympathy!

Listen free online. If you like it, please consider supporting my work with a digital download.

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Lyrics

Sing art image - Cabin Boy

I runned away to sea, dear Mother
To sea I runned away
And now I writes this letter
From far-off in Bombay

CHORUS:
The life of a cabin boy is bad
Oh how I miss ye Mother and Dad
And how I'm wishin' I never had
Runned away to sea
A cabin boy to be

I'm the lowest form o' life aboard
The lowest form I be
The rats down in the bilges
Has got it better than me
From humble seamen to or’ficers
The rope's end's what I get
An’ I'm afeared ol’ Jameson
Will up an' drown'd me yet

CHORUS

The Captain hates the sight o' me
I'll tell ye how I know
Every time he sees me face
The blighter tells me so
The bloody bosun's soaked in rum
He flies like a Chinese kite
For the way he pats me on me bum
I'll kill him sure some night

CHORUS

Oh the crew is fed with lowly swill
And I am served the dregs
What crawls with little weevils
And smells like rotten eggs
A proper berth I hasn't got
I sleeps where I am able
Much better off I think I’d be
In some old smelly stable

CHORUS

BRIDGE:
Oh it's swab the deck! Empty that bucket!
Then stick it back in the hole where ye tuck-it!
Yes it's outta me way, the divil take yer
Move yer arse, afore I break yer
Oh, woe... is... me!

Now I must go and send this letter
We sails again tonight
Please warn me little brother
Of his big brother’s plight
A fool I was, dear Mother
For runnin' away to sea
I fancied meself a Captain
But a Cabin Boy I be

CHORUS

Written, performed and produced by Robert Palomo. Copyright ©2015 - All rights reserved.


What folks say about "Cabin Boy"

I wanted to thank you for th song Cabin Boy. In many ways I can relate. I use music to help me cope with past memories. I came across it by chance and I listen often.”

— Jim A. (Planet Earth)