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| My father was a Navy captain and this was one of MY favorite songs. He always said it was because the shark ate the Captain....
This was written by Wallace Irwin and originally printed in a collection of nautical tunes Nautical Lays of a Landsman in 1904. |
Most chivalrous fish of the ocean To ladies forbearing and mild, Though his record be dark, is the man-eating shark, Who will eat neither woman nor child. He dines upon seamen and skippers, And tourists his hunger assuage, And a fresh cabin boy will inspire him with joy If he's past the maturity age. A doctor, a lawyer, a preacher, He'll gobble one any fine day, But the ladies, God bless 'em He'll only address 'em Politely and go on his way. I can readily cite you an instance Where a lovely young lady of Breem, Who was tender and sweet and delicious to eat Fell into the bay with a scream. She struggled and flounced in the water, And signaled in vain for her bar, And she'd surely been drowned if she hadn't been found By a chivalrous man-eating shark. He bowed in a manner most polished Thus soothing her impulses wild. "Don't be frightened," he said, "I've been properly bred, And will eat neither woman nor child." Then her proffered his fin and she took it Such gallantry none can dispute. While the passengers cheered as the vessel they neared And a broadside was fired in salute. And they soon stood alongside the vessel, When a life-saving dinghy was lowered With the pick of the crew, And her relatives too And the mate and the skipper aboard. So they took her aboard in a jiffy, And the shark stood attention the while, Then he raised on his flipper and ate up the skipper And went on his way with a smile. And this shows that the prince of the ocean, To ladies forbearing and mile, Though his record be dark Is the man-eating shark, Who will eat neither woman nor child. |
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| From
Book of Navy Songs See Bibliography for full information. |
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