I ran the Royal Marine from 1995 to 2005 and hosted many folk events including Berts wake and regular Shanty Crew sessions, to call them practice sessions would exaggerate the quality of the singing. Bert played the role of the Troksyite Continual Opposition with colourful quips about the gaps in our presentation. He also penned a song in our (dis)honour top the tune of Fiddlers Green.

They're signing their shanties in old Walton town
the music's so scanty its getting me down
In their tee shirts of blue and they're not like me and you
and to tell you the thruth they're a strange blooming crew

Chorus
Dress me up in me shanty crew tee shirt
No more in the bar I'll be seen
Just tell me old crew mates
I'm having a few mates
so were thinkin of Bert as were sinking em down

I wish I was rich cos I'd buy an old boat
I'd put them aboard and I'd set them afloat
Then I'd drink to their memories when the boat has gone down
In a quite pub in old Walton town

Dress me up in me shanty crew tee shirt
No more in the bar I'll be seen
Just tell me old crew mates
I'm having a few mates
so were thinkin of Bert as were sinking em down

They're singing their shanties in the Royal Marine
and take it from me it's a terrible scene
They dont know the verse and the tunes even worse
Its a proper cats chorus if you know what I mean

Dress me up in me shanty crew tee shirt
No more in the bar I'll be seen
Just tell me old crew mates
I'm having a few mates
so were thinkin of Bert as were sinking em down

what a very strange, do they're a funny old crew
singing shanties in my ear, while I'm drinking my beer
I'd give up my place if I were a king
and I'd lock them all in it, till they learned how to sing

Dress me up in me shanty crew tee shirt
No more in the bar I'll be seen
Just tell me old crew mates
I'm having a few mates
so were thinkin of Bert as were sinking em down


Keith Frost