American Old Time Song Lyrics: 33 Powder Monkey Joe
Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 33
POWDER MONKEY JOE.
Words by Hugh Cummerford. Music by Odoardo Barri.
You ask me for a story, boys-I've told ye times before
How in my powder-monkey days we sailed from shore to shore;
How little Joe, the smallest lad we had in all the fleet,
Was just as full of mischief as an egg is full of meat.
A proper monkey he for tricks as ever carried can,
And many a good rope's-ending got, but, in spite of it, each man
Would laugh and hail him comrade, and at night both young and old
Would bid him join the Chorus when their jolly, jolly songs they trolled.
Cheerily, boys, the wind blows fair, pipe all hands and away we go;
Three long cheers for our captain's share, and one for the powder-monkey Joe.
Cheerily, boys, the wind blows fair, pipe all hands with a Yo heave ho!
Three long cheers for our captain's share, and one for the powder-monkey Joe,
And one for the powder-monkey Joe.
Our captain was a right good man, as kind as he was brave;
He'd face the hottest fire in fight, and court a sailor's grave;
Yet two among our good ship's crew conspired his life to take;
To shoot him as he lay asleep (they dared not when awake),
But powder-monkey Joe o'erheard the coward's wicked plot,
And with some grog contrived to soak their powder and their shot.
He saved our captain's life, he did, and reap d his pluck's reward,
For soon they made him second-mate, and now he dons a sword.
Cheerily, boys, the wind blows fair, pipe all hands and away we go;
Three long cheers for our captain's snare, and one for the powder-monkey Joe.
Cheerily, boys, the wind blows fair, pipe all hands with a Yo heave ho!,
Three long cheers for our captain's share, and one for the powder-monkey Joe,
And one for the powder-monkey Joe.