| 'Twas a cold an' dreary mornin' in December, December |
| An' all of me money it was spent, Spent, spent |
| Where it went to, Lord I can't remember, Remember |
| So down to the shipping office I went, Went, went |
| Chorus: |
| Paddy lay back, Paddy lay back |
| Take in yer slack, take in yer slack |
| Take a turn around yer capstan, heave a pawl, heave a pawl |
| 'Bout ship, stations, boys, be handy, be handy |
| For we're bound for Valparaiser 'round the Horn! |
| That day there was a great demand for sailors, For sailors |
| For the colonies and for Frisco and for France, France, France |
| So I shipped aboard a Limey barque the Hotspur, The Hotspur |
| An' got paralytic drunk on my advance, 'Vance, 'vance |
| Chorus |
| I woke up in the mornin' sick an' sore, And Sore |
| An' I knew I was outward bound again, Bound again |
| When I heard a voice a-bawlin' at the door, The door |
| "Lay aft, men, an' answer to yer names!", Names, names |
| Chorus |
| So down upon me knees I went like thunder, Like Thunder |
| Put me hand into the bottom of the box, Box, box |
| An' what was my great surprise an' wonder, Wonder |
| Found only a bottle of medicine for the pox, Pox, pox |
| Chorus |