"I was in London in the cold month of December, And all of my wages I had spent. Oh how it went today I can't remember, But I down unto a shipping office went. In those days there was a great demand for sailors, From London around Cape Horn and back to France, So I shipped me aboard a bark called the Oxford, Oh, here's to take a drink to my advance.
CHORUS.
Paddy go whack, take in the slack, and heave away the capstan, Heave a pull, heave a pull. For we're bound, ship staysails, boys be handy, We're bound to Valparaiso round Cape Horn."