No-one so far has mentioned Matt McGinn's "Ballad of the Q4".

Excuse me (and feel free to correct me) if I get any of this wrong. As far as I remember, Q4 was the name given, while under construction, to the vessel that would become the Cunard liner "Queen Elizabeth II".

I can remember, as a boy, sailing Doon the Watter, and seeing the construction on the Q4. I've still got the photos somewhere.

Fom the official Matt McGinn site:

http://mattmcginn.info/Ballad%20of%20Q42.html
(there is a JPG with the melody on that page)


The Ballad Of The Q4
(Matt McGinn)

The Mary and the Lizzie they were made right here
But you'll never see the likes of them I fear.
They were the finest on the silver sea.
They were built by the hands of men like me.

Chorus
Thank you, Dad, for all your skill
But the Clyde is a river that'll no stand still.
You did gey well, but we'll do more.
Make way for the finest of them all, Q4.

We have an order we'll fulfil
With a touch o' the master and a bit more skill.
Now the backroom boys are under way
And the pens will be rolling till the launching day.

There's Big Tom O'Hara with his burning gear
The plumber and the plater and the engineer
There's young Willie Wylie with his welding rod
They're waiting at the ready for the backroom nod.

We'll burn and cut and shape and bend
We'll be welding and riveting and in the end
When the painter's dabbed his final coat
We'll be launching the finest ever ship afloat.

We've worked and sweated and toiled and now
See the expert's hand from stern to bow
She's ready for the torments o' the sea
She's a credit to the Clyde and you and me.