Pipe all hands to man the windlass,
See our cable running clear.
As we heave away the anchor,
For old England we will steer.
Chorus:
Rolling home, rolling home,
Rolling home across the sea.
Rolling home to dear old England,
Rolling home, fair land, to thee.
2. Let us all heave with a will, boys,
Soon our cable we will trip,
And across the briny ocean
We will steer our gallant ship.
Chorus:
3. Man the bars; heave with a will, lads,
Let all hands that can clap on;
And while we heave round the capstan
We will sing that well-known song.
Chorus:
4. To Australia's lovely daughters
We will bid a fond adieu.
We shall ne'er forget the hours
That we spent along with you.
Chorus:
5. We will leave you our best wishes,
We will leave your rocky shores.
For we're bound to dear Old England,
To return to you no more.
Chorus:
6. Up aloft amongst the rigging
Blows the wild and rushing gale,
Straining every spar and backstay,
Stretching stitch in every sail.
Chorus:
7. Eighteen months away from England,
Now a hundred days or more
On salt-horse and cracker-hash, boys,
Boston beans that made us sore.
Chorus:
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8. Eastwards, ever eastwards
To the rising of the sun.
Homewards, ever homewards
To the land where we were born.
Chorus:
9. Ten thousand miles now lay behind us,
Ten thousand miles or more to roam.
Soon we'll see our native country,
Soon we'll greet our dear old home.
Chorus:
10. Round Cape Horn one winter's morning,
All among the ice and snow
You could hear them shellbacks singing,
"Sheet her home, boys, let her go!"
Chorus:
11. Heave away, you sons-of-thunder,
For the nor'ard we will steer,
Where the gals and wives are waiting,
Standing there upon the pier.
Chorus:
12. Cheer up, Jack, bright smiles await you
From the fairest of the fair.
There are loving hearts to greet you
And kind welcomes everywhere.
Chorus:
13. And the gal you love most dearly,
She's been constant, firm and true.
She will clap you to her bosom,
Saying, "Jack, I still love you."
Chorus:
14. And we'll sing in joyful chorus
In the watches of the night,
And we'll greet the shores of England
When the grey dawn breaks the light.
Chorus:
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