'Twas a cold and frosty morning in December
And all of me money, it was spent
Oh, where it went to, oh Lord, I can't remember
So down to the shipping office went

[Chorus]
Sing "Paddy, lie back" (Sing "Paddy lie back")
"Take in your slack" ("Take in your slack")
"Take your turn, put on your caps and leap aboard
About ship's for England, boys be handy
For we're bound for Valaparaiso 'round the Horn"
Oh, last night there was a great demand for sailors
For the Colonies, for Frisco and for France
So I shipped a board barque 'the Hotspur'
And was paralytic drunk before I went

[Chorus]
Sing "Paddy, lie back" (Sing "Paddy lie back")
"Take in your slack" ("Take in your slack")
"Take your turn, put on your caps and leap aboard
About ship's for England, boys be handy
For we're bound for Valaparaiso 'round the Horn"

There were Frenchmen, there were Germans, there were Russians
And there was Jolly Jacques came just across from France
And not one of them could speak a word of English
But they'd answer to the name of Bill or Dan
[Chorus]
Sing "Paddy, lie back" (Sing "Paddy lie back")
"Take in your slack" ("Take in your slack")
"Take your turn, put on your caps and leap aboard
About ship's for England, boys be handy
For we're bound for Valaparaiso 'round the Horn"

I woke up in the morning sick and sore
I wished I'd never sailed away again
Then a voice it came thundering through the floor:
"Get up and pay attention to your name!"

[Chorus]
Sing "Paddy, lie back" (Sing "Paddy lie back")
"Take in your slack" ("Take in your slack")
"Take your turn, put on your caps and leap aboard
About ship's for England, boys be handy
For we're bound for Valaparaiso 'round the Horn"

I wish that I was in the Jolly Sailor
With Molly or with Kitty on me knee
Now I see most any men are sailors
And with me flipper I wipe away me tears

[Chorus]
Sing "Paddy, lie back" (Sing "Paddy lie back")
"Take in your slack" ("Take in your slack")
"Take your turn, put on your caps and leap aboard
About ship's for England, boys be handy
For we're bound for Valaparaiso 'round the Horn"
[Chorus]
Sing "Paddy, lie back" (Sing "Paddy lie back")
"Take in your slack" ("Take in your slack")
"Take your turn, put on your caps and leap aboard
About ship's for England, boys be handy
For we're bound for Valaparaiso 'round the Horn"