Honour and Praise

On a fine summer's morning as we lay at the quay

The holds were filled high with the treasures of the sea

So that they could be transported by men such as we

To homeland and for Queen

When the loading was done, we hoisted full sail

Prayed for good winds to guide us and deliverance from gales

And the thoughts of the crew turned to home and strong ale

As we cast off the ropes and set sail

Fight for honour and for praise

Sailed the sea throughout the days

In cold ground I'll never lay

I'd rather die on the ocean

Thirty days out to sea and the weather was fine

The wind that we'd prayed for and making good time

The honour of first home was soon to be mine

To homeland and to Queen

But the night became stormy and the wind changed our course

A gale was a-blowing and the wind gathered force

And I wondered if ever we'd reach our home port

Or if we'd all be lost in the storm

Fight for honour and for praise

Sailed the sea throughout the days

In cold ground I'll never lay

I'd rather die on the ocean

Well, the waves washed the deck, in the wind we were locked

I fought with the wheel to stay clear of the rocks

But the fighting is in vain, in the storm we were lost

And our prayers blew away on the wind

Well, I coughed and I choked and I tasted the sea

I looked over the sands, there was no one but me

And I knew that the might of the sea had finished me

And I wished that I'd drowned in the storm

Fight for honour and for praise

Sailed the sea throughout the days

In cold ground I'll never lay

I'd rather die on the ocean

And I've lived with the thought for the rest of m' days

That I'd given the lives of the crew just to pay

In search of the garlands of honour and praise

And I wish that I'd drowned in the storm

Fight for honour and for praise

Sailed the sea throughout the days

In cold ground I'll never lay

I'd rather die on the ocean

Fight for honour and for praise

Sailed the sea throughout the days

In cold ground I'll never lay

I'd rather die on the ocean