Now modern ships carry mighty funny gear,
and away, get away, you shantyman.
Ain't seen a halyard in many's a year,
and they got no use for a shantyman.
Slick new fittings are all your style,
and away, get away, you shantyman.
All very clever, but it just ain't right;
and they got no use for a shantyman.

Refrein:
Shantyman, oh, shantyman,
who's got a berth for a shantyman ?
Sing you a song of a world gone wrong,
when they got no use for a shantyman.

Levers to jerk and buttons to press,
and away, get away, you shantyman.
and real live sailors they need them less,
and they got no use for a shantyman.
Floating computers dressed like a ship,
and away, get away, you shantyman.
Skippered and crewed by a micro-chip,
and they got no use for a shantyman.

Refrein:
Shantyman, oh, shantyman,
who's got a berth for a shantyman ?
Sing you a song of a world gone wrong,
when they got no use for a shantyman.

Soon they'll be sailing by remote control,
and away, get away, you shantyman.
And that'll be pleasing to the owners' soul;
and they got no use for a shantyman.
They'll send their ships from dock to dock,
and away, get away, you shantyman.
All sat upon their arses in an office block,
and they got no use for a shantyman.

Refrein:
Shantyman, oh, shantyman,
who's got a berth for a shantyman ?
Sing you a song of a world gone wrong,
when they got no use for a shantyman.

A sailor's life it once was hard,
and away, get away, you shantyman.
Laid out aloft on a tops'l yard;
and they got no use for a shantyman.
Now it don't matter if the winds blow high;
and away, get away, you shantyman.
You can take force ten with your feet still dry.
and they got no use for a shantyman.




Refrein:
Shantyman, oh, shantyman,
who's got a berth for a shantyman ?
Sing you a song of a world gone wrong,
when they got no use for a shantyman.

Listen at night and you might hear,
and away, get away, you shantyman.
A ghostly sound on the quiet air,
and they got no use for a shantyman.
Is it a ghost from the distant past,
and away, get away, you shantyman.
Or just a breeze in the radar mast ?
and they got no use for a shantyman.

Refrein (2x):
Shantyman, oh, shantyman,
who's got a berth for a shantyman ?
Sing you a song of a world gone wrong,
when they got no use for a shantyman.