BS 42 Home Boys Home
Original Manuscript by Stan Hugill
There once was a servant maid,
On the Highway she did dwell,
She had no lovin' parents, oh, as far as I could tell.
Early one morning, oh, a sailor came from sea,
And that was the beginning of all her sweet miseree.
Singing home, home, home I wanter be,
Singing home, home, home, in my only counteree!
For the pine and the ash and bonnie ellum tree
Are all a-growin' green in sweet Nort' Amerikee
She took her fine young sailor boy
And asked him in to tea,
And for a while the pair did dine and sing quite merrily,
And them he brought his rum flask out and offered her a dram,
And from that moment onwards, oh, her troubles they began.
He asked her for a candle,
For to light him up to bed,
He asked her for a handkerchief to wrap around his head,
She-like a fool- thinkin' no harm,
Got in beside him, for to keep the sailor warm.
She had no lovin' husband, for to save her from his spell,
She had no kind young sister, did our sorry little Nell,
And very soon she'd dropped her drawers
And let him sheet it home,
He rammed it up until she felt it tickle her backbone.
Early next mornin', oh, the sailor he awoke,
Hand in his pocket, oh, he pulled out a note,
Sayin', take this, me darlin',
For the damage I have done,
For nine months ye'll have a daughter or a son.
Now if it be a daughter
Ye must bounce her on yer knee,
And if it be a son, pack the bastard off to sea,
And in his little tarpaulin-hat and his jacket o' navy blue,
Let him climb the riggin' like his ol' man climbed up you.
Now all ye young maidens,
Take a warnin' now you see,
Never let a sailor get an inch above yer knee.
For if ye do- he'll never let ye rest,
Until he plucks the fevvers off yer old crows-nest.
Singin' home! boys, home. It's home I want to be!
Home boys home, with a girl on either knee:
With that little, ribboned, tarpaulin hat,
And that coat of navy blue,
Let him climb the riggin' like his daddy climbed up you!