| It's a damn tough life full of toil and strife we whalermen undergo And we don't give a damn when the gale is done how hard the winds did blow 'Cause we're homeward bound from the Arctic Ground with a good ship taut and free And we won't give a damn when we drink our rum with the girls of Old Maui. |
| Chorus: |
| Rolling down to Old Maui, me boys, rolling down to Old Maui, We're homeward bound from the Arctic Ground, rolling down to Old Maui. |
| Once more we sail with the northerly gale through the ice and wind and rain Them coconut fronds, them tropic lands we soon shall see again Six hellish months we've passed away on the cold Kamchatka Sea But now we're bound from the Arctic Ground, rolling down to Old Maui. |
| Chorus: |
| Once more we sail with the northerly gale towards our island home Our main mast sprung, our whaling done, and we ain't got far to roam Our stuns'l's bones are carried away, what care we for that sound A livin' gale is after us, thank God we're homeward bound. |
| Chorus: |
| How soft the breeze through the island trees, now the ice is far astern Them native maids, them tropical glades, are a-waitin' our return Even now their big brown eyes look out, hoping some fine day to see Our baggy sails running 'fore the gales, rolling down to Old Maui. |
| Chorus: |
| These four verses taken from 'Rise Up Singing' |
| An' now we're anchored in the bay with the Kanakas all around. With chants and soft "aloha oes," they greet us homeward bound, An' now ashore we'll have good fun, we'll paint them beaches red, Awakin' in the arms of an island maid, with a big fat achin' head! |
| Chorus: |
| We'll heave the lead where old Diamond Head looms up on ol' Wahoo, Our masts and yards are sheathed with ice an' our decks are hid from view, The horrid ice of the sea-cut tiles that deck the Arctic Sea, Are miles behind in the frozen wind since we steered for Old Maui. |
| Chorus: |
| These last two verses taken from 'Shanty Seattle' |