Here's another C. Fox Smith sea poem I've been reworking for singing. The original poem is below:

Original poem by C. Fox Smith, 1931
In Sailor's Delight, pp. 111-113

Sweethearts & Wives

The very first voyage as ever I made
I went to sea in the East Coast trade,
And I courted a gal at Seaton Sluice-
If her name warn't Lizzie it must ha' been Luce-

So I did!

And then I signed in a Colonies clipper
With a rare old rip of a racing skipper,
And there warn't no sense nor there warn't no use
A-courting a gal at Seaton Sluice;
So I looked for another down Melbourne way-
If her name warn't Kitty it must ha' been May-

So I did!

Oh, next I sailed in a pearlin' brig
To the South Sea Ilses both little and big,
Where it warn't no use, say what you may,
A-courting a gal down Melbourne way;
So I didn't worry with her no longer,
But I soon picked up with a gal in Tonger,
An' island gal as brown as a berry –
Don't know her name, but I called her "Cherry"-

So I did!

(And so on ad lib.)

But last I signed in a Liverpool liner –
Go where you will and you won't find a finer!
And it's time, thinks I, to be settlin' down,
So I married a widder in Monkeytown,
With a bit in the bank and a "corner-off,"
And when I'm ashore now I lives like a toff.

And as for the girl at Seaton Sluice
I 'ope she ain't waitin', for that ain't no use,
And as for the ones at Montreal
And Tanger and Taltal and Melbourne and all,
And all the whole boilin' from France to Fiji,
I 'ope they're all married and 'appy like me-

So I do!

My adaptation drops some lines and adds a chorus, while still keeping to the spirit of the original poem. I'm not aware of anyone who has reworked this one but I've sent copies to Danny McLeod and Bob Zentz (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 for chord placement):


SWEETHEARTS AND WIVES-2

(Original poem by C. Fox Smith, 1931
In Sailor's Delight, pp. 111-113
Adapted by Charlie Ipcar, 2003
Tune: "Worst Old Brig" ("Waitin' for the Day"))

C---------------------------F
The very first voyage as ever I made,
-C-------------------------G
I went to sea in the East Coast trade,
-------C---------------------F
And I courted me a gal at Seaton Sluice-
--G—C----------------------------------G-----C
If her name warn't Lizzie it must ha' been Luce.

And then I signed in a Colonies clipper,
With a rare old rip of a racing skipper,
So I looked for a gal down Melbourne way -
If her name warn't Kitty it must ha' been May.

Chorus:

C
Sweethearts and wives,
F
Sweethearts and wives,
G--C
We spend o'r lives
-------------G-----------C
With sweet-hearts and wives!

Oh, next I sailed in a pearlin' brig
To the South Sea Ilses, both little and big,
I met me a gal as brown as a berry –
Couldn't say her name, but I called her "Cherry." (CHO)

But last I signed in a Liverpool liner –
Go where you will, there's no ship finer!
And it's time, thinks I, to be settlin' down,
So I married me a widder in Monkeytown. (CHO)

And as for that gal at Seaton Sluice,
I 'ope she ain't waitin', for that ain't no use,
And as for the ones from Melbourne to Fiji,
I 'ope they's all married and 'appy like me! (CHO)

Cheerily,
Charley Noble