SAIL AWAY(Rod Shearman)Oh your shore leave is over so at home you can't remain,Sail away, sail away, sail away.You've spent all your pay so it's back to plough the main.To see the tropic sunset with its colours pain the sky;To hear the roaring billows and the lonely seagull's cry.Your gear is all packed and you've said your last goodbye,You head for the docks and you stifle back a sighBlue Peter's at the mast and the tugs are standing by,You leave the land behind and the ocean road you ply.You leave the land behind heading for the Southern Cross;You take it in your stride where the calm seas are tossed.The Aussie coast is here and we've money in the ship,All ashore for a pint so we give the boss the slip.We coast for sunny shores, it's for Sydney we are boundWe'll drink the pubs all dry if each man buys his round.We've a cargo of wool, so farewell antipodes,And its homeward we ply by way of tropic seas.So it's homeward we're bound and the days they fairly fly;And when we get back home I will kiss this tub goodbye.Now me pay-off's in me bin and I'm heading for the train,But when your money's gone, I suppose it's back again.From Rod's sleeve notes on 'Here's to Friends': 'Based on my own experience in the Merchant Navy. In the 1950's I did a number of trips to Australia in ships of the Peninsula and Orient Steam Navigation Comp., and the Orient Line. These were big ships, 'floating hotels', the main cargo being passengers. On the return voyage we carried wool or refrigerated goods. This was written in 1968. My old friends Jim Mageean and Johnny Collins did much to popularise this one."Hope this helps!