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Captain O'Rourke (She Shanty)

Written by Robert Boddington

Revised for She Shanty nights

LYRICS

CHORUS

Riddley dinka dola do rye an

I am Captain O'rourke I am

Don't be ailin' when I'm sailin'

I am a fine ship captain (hey!)

Riddley dinka dola do rye an

I am Captain O'rourke I am

There is no ship that I can't man

I am a fine ship captain


VERSE 1

Captain O'Rourke was a great ship captain

A great vessel had she

'Twas a grand galleon, so shiny and new

And she went out to sail on the deep ocean blue

But the ship hit a reef and was holed through and through

And sank with O'Rourke and all of her crew

But she cried


CHORUS


VERSE 2

Captain O'Rourke was a strong, old captain

A great vessel had she

'Twas a fine little frigate and, boy, was she fast

When she hit the water all boats were outclassed

But O'Rourke pulled a rope and it ripped off the mast

Then it capsized and filled up and went right down fast

But she cried


CHORUS


VERSE 3

Captain O'Rourke was an okay captain

A great vessel had she

'Twas a rickety rowboat which wasn't too grand

And one day O'Rourke tried to push it off land

But the boat had no bottom, so when it left the sand

It sank to the depths of the Galway bay strand

But she cried


CHORUS


VERSE 4

Captain O'Rourke was a silly, mad captain

A great vessel had she

She sailed on a thimble, she could barely fit in

She thought it was sturdy 'cause it was made out of tin

But all of the holes let the water right in

And she dredged back to shore, soaked to the skin

But she cried


CHORUS


VERSE 5

Captain O'Rourke was no ship's captain

A great vessel had she

She lived on an island and one morning, lo

She found a large plug and she pulled it out slow

And, from that deep hole, water did overflow

And she sank the whole island in one fell blow

But she cried


CHORUS x 2

Tags:

she shanty, Original Shanty

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We acknowledge the Gadigal and Bidjigal people of the Eora nation, upon whose lands we gather and sing.
We acknowledge sovereignty was never ceded. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

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Numerous photos by Nick Ryden 

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