The Ballad of the Outboard Motor Man.

now this is a broadside ballad, and as you know, broadside ballads usually feature lofty sailing ships, bold sea captains, maidens dressing up as men to go to sea, brave cabin boys saving their shipmates from disaster, you all know the kind of thing.
This has most of the elements.......
However, as it was written in the 1960's, there weren't many lofty sailing ships about, so we'll just have to do the best we can with what's available!


The Ballad of the Outboard Motor Man.

Come all you outboard motor men, and list unto me tale,
It's of a bold sea cap-ti-in and how he did set sail,
He bought himself a trusty ship, 'twas known as The Sapphire,
The cost it was one thousand pounds, the purchase it was hire.

It had an outboard motor with the power of horses three,
And bolted on the transom, 'twas plain for all to see,
Full ten foot six from stem to stern, one of the Moorhen class,
The hull was clinker moulded in stout English fibreglass.

The captain had two daughters fair, he bade them 'Stay at home',
But being young and foolish girls, they were inclined to roam,
So they pulled on their Brutus jeans and their rugby shirts so gay,
And went on board the ve-es-sel thus clad in men's array.

They went down to the harbour to take a trial run,
The engine started, off they shot like a bullet from a gun,
The mate cried out 'Oh captain, Sir, I do fear for my life',
But the captain did not heed the mate, 'cos the mate she was his wife

They carried on along their course for half an hour or more,
'Til all at once the engine stopped a hundred yards from shore,
The maidens wept, the mate cried out 'Oh how can we be saved?
I have no wish to pe-e-rish all in these dreadful waves!'

Then up there spoke the captain's son, a lad of only eight,
Saying 'I will bring you safe to shore if you will navigate',
Then boldly he leapt o'er the side, which caused the mate to weep,
But the lad he did not perish for 'twas only one foot deep.

So come all you outboard motor-men, and warning take from me,
Beware of shallow wa-a-ter when first you put to sea,
Save that you have a trusty lad a-serving in your crew,
To bring you safe to ha-ar-bour when you have fouled your screw!

Originally heard from the singing of a guy named Graham Penny (or Payne?) from the Southampton area. A few amendments by yours truly, I only heard it the once so may have taken a few liberties with the words. A'60's time capsule really, anyone remember Brutus Jeans?

FC