Verse 1 (verse structure)
What shall we do with a drunken sailor,
What shall we do with a drunken sailor,
What shall we do with a drunken sailor,
Earl-aye in the morning.
Chorus
Hoo-ray, and up she rises.
Hoor-ray and up she rises.
Hoor-ray and up she rises,
Earl-aye in the morning!
Verse 2
Put him in the scupper with a hose pipe on him
Verse 3
Put him in bed with the captain’s daughter
Verse 4
You should see the captain’s daughter
Verse 5
Shave his belly with a rusty razor
Verse 6
Put him in the long boat ‘till he’s sobre
Verse 7
Tie him to a rope and keyal-haul him
Verse 8
That’s what we’ll do with a drunken sailor.
That haory old chestnut of the shanty world, the exact source of which remains a mystery unlikely to ever be revealed, is a perennial favourite of anyone who struggles to remember the words of more complex songs; that is, songs with the added complication of having more than one line for a verse.
Likely to be sung in no particular order, whoever leads sings the first line of a verse, then all join in. If anyone fancies adding their own original verse, just stick up your hand,wait for a nod, then blurt it out.
Keelhauling was a shipboard punishment whereby an offender, drunken or otherwise, would be hauled under a boat, either bow to bow or prow to stern. It has been spelled here as keyal-haul purely to fit better.