G                            D7
There was a young sailor who looked through a glass,
D7
Spied a fair mermaid with scales on her
G                         D7
Island where seagulls fly over their nests,
D7
She combed the long hair that hung over her
G                           D7
Shoulders and caused her to tickle and itch,
D7
The sailor cried out, “There’s a beautiful
G                     D7
Mermaid a-sitting out there on the rocks”,
D7
The crew come a-runnin’ a-grabbin’ their
G                        D7
Glasses and crowded four deep to the rail,
D7
All eager to share in this fine piece of
G                          D7
News that the Captain soon heard from the watch,
D7
He tied down the wheel and he reached for his
G                           D7
Crackers and cheese that he kept by the door,
D7
In case he might someday encounter a
G                       D7
Mermaid he knew he must use all of his wits,
D7
Crying, “Throw out a line, we’ll lasso her
G                         D7
Flippers and then we will certainly find
D7
If mermaids are better before or
G                              D7
Be brave my good fellows,” the Captain then said,
D7
With fortune we’ll break through her mermaiden
G                         D7
Heading to starboard they tacked with dispatch,
D7
Caught that fair mermaid just under her
G                      D7
Elbows and hustled her down below decks,
D7
Each took a turn at her feminine
G                       D7
Setting her free at the end of the farce,
D7
She splashed on the waves landing flat on her
G                     D7
After a while one man noticed some scabs,
D7
Soon they broke out with the pox and the
G                     D7
Scratching with fury, cursing with spleen,
D7
This song may be dull but it's certainly clean.