I’d listen to the old men

And their tales of cities far

And I dreamt about the tall ships

The canvas and the tar

As soon as I was old enough

I signed as cabin boy

On a schooner bound for somewhere

My heart fair leapt for joy

I longed to see the ocean wide

But little did I know

I’d spend my time at sea

In the galley down below

What these sails

Have done to me

From the first day

I went to sea

In the lines on my skin

You can see

What these sails

Have done to me

I can’t remember all the girls

Or even every port of call

But I know they weren’t all pretty

Of if they were girls at all

Like the ones on Bogey Street

Hungry for your pay

Two dollars for a rum and coke

Ten dollars for a lay

What these sails

Have done to me

From the first day

I went to sea

In the lines on my skin

You can see

What these sails

Have done to me

I love to tell my tales

When I’ve had a drink or two

I ramble on about my ships

And show you my tattoos

There’s and anchor on my shoulder

That I got in Singapore

And an arrow through a heart

But you’ve seen that one before

What these sails

Have done to me

From the first day

I went to sea

In the lines on my skin

You can see

What these sails

Have done to me