We’ve already had some sailors’ songs on this web, such as Sailing by Rod Stewart or Toutouig, a lullaby for little sailors from Brittany. Both of them are great, but rather sand and slow. To maintain the balance in the universe, we’ve added a happier one: What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor?

This song probably comes to your mind first. Sailors have sung it since about the beginning of the 19th century. It comes form the British Isles, but even that is not certain. And in the 20th century, it has become very popular on the land as well.

There are numerous versions of the lyrics. The suggestions what to do with the drunkard range from unpleasant („Shave his belly with a rusty razor“) to much better ones („Put him in bed with the captain’s daughter“). After the disaster of the Exxon Valdez tanker, there was even a version with „Put him at the wheel of an Exxon tanker“…

And there are also as many versions of the musical arrangement of this song – just search YouTube and choose whatever you like. Something more traditional? Or a bit harder?

If you aren’t satisfied with the English versions, there’s also one by a famous Czech singer Waldemar Matuška:

SCORES (fingering for piano accordion)
PDF  MSCZ  VideoScore

INSTRUCTIONAL RECORDINGS

right hand – simple
right hand – simple

right hand with phrasing
right hand with phrasing

Lyrics:

|: What shall we do with the drunken sailor :| 3x
early in the morning

R.: |: Hoo-ray and up she rises :| 3x
early in the morning

Put him in the long boat till he’s sober
early in the morning

Pull out the plug and wet him all over
early in the morning

Put him in the scuppers with hose-pipe on him
early in the morning

Heave him by the leg in running bowline
early in the morning

Tie him to the taffrail when she’s yardarm under
early in the morning

article, scores | Petr Pařík
instructional recordings | Jindra Kelíšek
published on 06/04/2015