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The Navigator’s Song

[ Roud 2453 ; Ballad Index RavVI030 ; trad.]

Maud Karpeles: Cecil Sharp’s Collection of English Folk Songs Jon Raven: Victoria’s Inferno

According to the Songs of the Inland Waterways website, the first verse and the tune of this song were collected by Cecil Sharp (on 15 August 1906 from Jim Creedy of Bridgwater, Somerset, titled Navigation) and Dave and Toni Arthur wrote the rest of the song. It was printed in The Dave and Toni Arthur Song Book published by Galliard (1970), but I don’t know of any recording of this song by them.

Steve Turner sang The Navigator’s Song in 2026 on his Tradition Bearers CD A Host of Furious Fancies.

Lyrics

Steve Turner sings The Navigator’s Song

Come roll up, my lads, and you shall have a prize
In all parts of the nation.
We’re all the lads and the swaggering blades
Who work on the navigation.

Chorus (after each verse):
With our moleskin pants and square tail coats
We tramp throughout the nation,
And the girls all think we’re the dandy boys
Who work on the navigation.

When that we leave the town behind,
To the husbands’ aggravation,
The wives all follow the swaggering blades
Who work on the navigation.

There’s Bankers, Paddys, Scotsmen too,
There’s lads from every nation.
And the girls all want to jump the broom
With the lads from the navigation.

Every village that we go through
And if it be fair time,
We’ll match our dogs and on them bet,
We’re the lads from the navigation.

And if you’re looking for a fight,
Don’t pick one of our fashion.
With picks and fists we are the boys,
We’re the lads from the navigation.

If the Tommy shops they sell watered beer
We’ll move our occupation,
We’re always sure of the tramping bob
From the lads of the naviation.