The back story

In my days with the Shanty Crew we used to reenact the crossing the line ceremony with yours truly playing the part of King Neptune. Our version had three songs - Rio Grand as a call on, Paddy West, and finishing with Drunken Sailor. It was originally about half an hour, but as the Crew line-up changed over time time so did the play, getting shorter and shorter.

At the time the song was written, I was going to the Players Theatre Club in London on a regular basis (2-3 times/week) plus going to the bar after Shanty Crew rehearsals.

in 1998, while watching the Christmas Pantomime for the umpteenth time, I got the idea of extending the Shanty Crew ceremony to a full one-hour review with more dialogue, more characters and, most importantly a song for each character.

Although the play itself was completed some time ago, the only missing bit (still) being a song or recitation for Queen Amphritrite.

On Board the Susianna was a new song written specifically for the doctor. The full ship's manifest is:

Narrator - inspired by Henry V. No song.
King Neptune - Marri-ed to a Mermai-ed + additional verse.
Queen Amphritrite - song or recitation needed.
Lawyer - Parody of when I was a LAd (Gilbert and Sullivan) - unfinished.
Doctor - On Board the Susianna.
Paddy West - Paddy West
Barber - Sweeney Todd the Barber (att: Weston)
Cook - The Yarn of the Nancy Bell (W S Gilbert)

I live in hope to one day actually finish it, and even see it performed.