He was Halifax born and bred
Long in the arm and thick in the head
To leave Halifax there's a quote
Its "through a bottle or on a boat"
So while he was no sailor
He found work aboard a whaler
But when they got to St. Pierre
It was clear that he didn't care
They took him to the gangway
And they gave him lashes twenty
The captain ordered thirty
But his daughter begged for mercy
She stepped in before they stabbed him
And she took him to her cabin
There she gave him wine and water
And a bit more than she oughter'
So set the sails
Or walk the plank
What was your name?
And what was your rank?
If you don't work you'll be hung
So come and mutiny while you're young
Now the Captain was no fool
And he told the men if you break the rules
You'll all end up like Monahan
And taste the cat to every man!
Life aboard a ship is hard
But exactly who guards the guards?
When a Captain goes insane
And men have treason in their veins
The next day Monahan passed the word
And all those who knew and heard
When they called achors aweigh
That was the call to disobey
This time the Captain walked the plank
They dropped him off near Grand Bank
"Back to Halifax you can swim"
And as he drowned they sang to him
So set the sail
Or walk the plank
What was your name
Or what is your rank
They opened the casks and gave a cheer
For Monahan the Mutineer
And for the moment all looked well
Until the sea began to swell
The winds blew and the boat began to tip
They felt below the hull start to rip
And as we went into the sea
Monahan screamed this advice to me
"If we drown while we are young"
Its better to drown than to be hung!"
So set the sail
Or walk the plank
What was your name
Or what is your rank
If there's work on a ship--don't volunteer
Like Monahan the mutineer
And off in Halifax town
The rats come butting the houses down
On the beaches and on the piers
Where the beer is mixed with tears
Old men still tell of Monahan
His mutiny and ill-fated plan
How we all went into the sea
And how none survived except for me!