I'd like to thank Stewart again for sending me his tune; it's more a music hall arrangement than what I was using. But it got me to re-thinking my traditional musical arrangement and now I'm trying something different, and changing a few more words in the process. It now goes like this (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up the chords), and I try not to make a dirge out of it:

Poem by C. Fox Smith, FULL SAIL, pp. 69-71 © 1926
Adapted and musically arranged by Charlie Ipcar © 2004
Key: B (5/F)
OUTWARD BOUND

C------------G------------D-------G----------C
Now we've painted the Ratcliff Highway red
--------G-------D----------------G
To the tune of twelvemonth's pay
--------D---------------------------C-------G
We've cruised around from the Ship A-ground
---------------C'G----D
To the shores of Tiger Bay;
---------------G---D----------------C----------G
We've stood our pals and we've kissed the gals
-------------------------D
For a fortnight and a day,
------------G---------D------------G------C
Now we're outward bound from Sailor-town,
----------G-----------D------C
And it's time we're on our way!

For there's something wrong with the dance and song,
And there ain't no bite in beer
So let's set sail for New South Wales,
Any port, long's it's not here;
Baltic way, down the Bay,
Up the China Seas;
Pensacola, Palembang,
Anywhere you please.

You can get your sea chest out of pawn,
Or leave it where it lies
You can pay your shot, or maybe not,
You can leave your gal likewise;
With a "Now, me Dear, be of good cheer,
We'll see you next pay day,"
For we're outward bound from Sailortown,
And it's time we're on our way!

We'll warp her out with a song and shout,
And give the tug a cheer
Then it's off we go to Callao,
Any port, long's it's not here;
Baltic way, down the Bay,
Up the China Seas;
Pensacola, Palembang,
Anywhere you please.

The lines to chorus along on in verses 1 and 3 are:

For we're outward bound from Sailortown,
And it's time we're on our way!

The lines to chorus on in verses 2 and 4 are:

Baltic way, down the Bay,
Up the China Seas;
Pensacola, Palembang,
Anywhere you please.

Comments? I'll probably have a MP3 sample of this on my personal website in a week or so.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble