Monahan The Mutineer Lyrics - Town Pants

He was Halifax born and bred 

Long in the arm and thick in the head 

To leave Halifax there's a quote 

Its "through a bottle or on a boat" 

So while he was no sailor 

He found work aboard a whaler 

But when they got to St. Pierre 

It was clear that he didn't care 

They took him to the gangway 

And they gave him lashes twenty 

The captain ordered thirty 

But his daughter begged for mercy 

She stepped in before they stabbed him 

And she took him to her cabin 

There she gave him wine and water 

And a bit more than she oughter' 

So set the sails 

Or walk the plank 

What was your name? 

And what was your rank? 

If you don't work you'll be hung 

So come and mutiny while you're young 

Now the Captain was no fool 

And he told the men if you break the rules 

You'll all end up like Monahan 

And taste the cat to every man! 

Life aboard a ship is hard 

But exactly who guards the guards? 

When a Captain goes insane 

And men have treason in their veins 

The next day Monahan passed the word 

And all those who knew and heard 

When they called achors aweigh 

That was the call to disobey 

This time the Captain walked the plank 

They dropped him off near Grand Bank 

"Back to Halifax you can swim" 

And as he drowned they sang to him 

So set the sail 

or walk the plank 

What was your name 

or what is your rank 

They opened the casks and gave a cheer 

For Monahan the Mutineer 

And for the moment all looked well 

Until the sea began to swell 

The winds blew and the boat began to tip 

they felt below the hull start to rip 

And as we went into the sea 

Monahan screamed this advice to me 

"If we drown while we are young" 

its better to drown than to be hung!" 

So set the sail 

or walk the plank 

What was your name 

or what is your rank 

If there's work on a ship--don't volunteer 

like Monahan the mutineer 

And off in Halifax town 

The rats come butting the houses down 

On the beaches and on the piers 

Where the beer is mixed with tears 

Old men still tell of Monahan 

His mutiny and ill-fated plan 

How we all went into the sea 

And how none survived except for me!