From the David Diamond Song Book:

"THE TEA SHANTEY

I dreamed I had a cup of tea,
Tea-bags, tea bags away my John!
The way that cuppas used to be
Tea-bags away!

Go lass, and put the kettle on.
Tea-bags, tea-bags away my John!
Don't let the water boil too long.
Tea-bags away!

And don't forget to warm the pot,
Tea-bags, tea-bags away my John!
I won't drink tea if its not hot.
Tea-bags away!

The tea we had when I was young
Tea-bags, tea-bags away my John!
Was twice as good, three times as strong.
Tea-bags away!

Now pour the tea, but what is this?
Tea-bags, tea-bags away my John!
You call this tea? It tastes like ....
Tea-bags away!

The painful moral now is clear;
Tea-bags, tea-bags away my John!
Shun tea in bags and turn to beer.
Tea-bags away!


(To the tune of "Lowlands Away". The first line came to me while throwing tea bags away in approximately 1983. It is credibly reported that this song won third prize in a sea shantey contest at a Hull Sea Song Festival.)"