Traditional Sea Shanties & Sea Songs
The Dreadnought

A Collection of lyrics for traditional Sea Shanties & Songs of the Sea.

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The Dreadnought

There's a flash packet, a flash packet of fame,
She belongs to New York and the Dreadnought's her name;
She's bound to the westward where the strong winds blow,
Bound away in the Dreadnought, to the westward we go.
2. The time for her sailing is now drawing nigh,
Farewell, pretty May, I must bid you goodbye,
Farewell to old England and all we hold dear,
Bound away in the Dreadnought, to the westward we'll steer.
3. O, the Dreadnought is pulling out of Waterloo Dock,
Where the boys and the girls to the pierheads do flock;
They will give us three cheers while their tears do flow,
Saying, "God bless the Dreadnought, where'er she may go!"

4. O, the Dreadnought is waiting in the Mersey so free,
Waiting for the Independence to tow her to sea;
For around that Rock Light where the Mersey does flow,
Bound away in the Dreadnought, to the westward we'll go.

5. O, the Dreadnought's a-bowlin' down the wild Irish Sea,
Where the passengers are merry, their hearts full of glee,
While her sailors like lions walk the decks to and fro,
She's the Liverpool packet, O Lord, let her go!

6. O, the Dreadnought's a-sailin' the Atlantic so wide,
While the dark, heavy seas roll along her black sides,
With her sails neatly spread and the red cross to show,
She's the Liverpool packet, O Lord, let her go!

7. O, the Dreadnought's becalmed on the banks of Newfoundland,
Where the water's so green and the bottom is sand;
Where the fish of the ocean swim round to and fro,
She's the Liverpool packet, O Lord, let her go!

8. O, the Dreadnought's arrived in America once more,
Let's go ashore, shipmates, on the land we adore,
With wives and sweethearts so happy we'll be,
Drink a health to the Dreadnought, wherever she be.

9. Here's a health to the Dreadnought, to all her brave crew,
Here's a health to her captain, and her officers, too,
Talk about your flash packets, Swallowtail and Black Ball,
Then, here's to the Dreadnought, the packet to beat them all.
The Dreadnought was a clipper built in 1853 at Newburyport, Massachusetts. She made extremely fast passages between New York and Liverpool for the Red Cross Line. The ship went down while doubling Cape Horn in 1869.