The Boat Owner's Lament,
written while restoring an old wooden schooner during the el nino of the early 80's
Melody: Rosin the Beau

I work on the hull of my schooner,
And all the 'glass boaters go by;
They ask when she'll be in the water, and
I tell them she'll sail by and by.

Cho: I tell 'em she'll sail by and by-I-I,
      I tell 'em she'll sail by and by,
      They ask when she'll be in the water, and
      I tell 'em she'll sail by and by.
[follow the same pattern for each chorus.]

My friends won't come by to help me,
The weather's too cold or not dry;
Then they ask when they're gonna go sailin', and
I tell 'em they'll sail by and by.

The engine's a hunk of scrap iron,
The sight of it makes strong men cry;
I coughs and it clanks and it sputters, but
I tell you she'll hum by and by.

The deck is old and it's rotten,
It leaks if a cloud's in the sky;
From weather it gives no protection, but
I tell you we'll caulk by and by.

The plumbing leaks into the bilges,
The sink only works when it's dry;
When we're on port tack there's a geyser, but
I tell you we'll plumb by and by.

Well, She's back in the water this Summer,
Looking good at least to my eye;
She sails like a gull on the ocean, and
I told you she'd sail by and by.