Well, as I went out one evening all on a night's career I spied a lofty clipper ship and up to her I steered Well, I hoisted her me signals that she so quickly knew But when she saw my buntin' flag she immediately hoved to Chorus Oh she'd a dark and a rovin' eye and her hair hung down in ringlets She were a nice girl, a decent girl but one of the rakish kind Well she said kind sir excuse me for being out so late For if me parents knew of this then sad would be my fate For me father he's a minister, a true and honest man But me mother she's a dancin' girl and I do the best I can Well, so I deemed her company for a sailor lad like me I kissed her once, I kissed her twice, she said be nice to me Well I fondled her, I cuddled her and found to my surprise She was nothing but a fireship rigged out in a disguise Well, come all ye salt sea sailors who sail the seven seas Likewise all you 'prentice lads this warning take from me For steer clear of lofty fireships, for me the money's well spent For one's burned all me money up and left me broke and bent