Shanghai Passage

Chorus:
"Shanghai Brown! Oh, Shanghai Brown!"
The Skipper o' the Harvest Moon is rampin' 'round the town! (2X)

Yes, he's lookin' for some sailormen, to beg, steal or borrow –
There ain't no way he can get a crew, an' he wants to sail tomorrow.
"Prime sailor's very scarce just now, says Shanghai Brown,
I'll send my touts an' runners out, all through Frisco Town."

"Shanghai Brown! Oh, Shanghai Brown!"
"I'll send my touts an' runners out, all through Frisco Town."

He rakes in men both high and low; he gets both black an' white; He's got the Lauderdale's port watch that only berthed las' night; He's got a brace of farmhands with hayseed in their hair; He's got a bridegroom an' bestman, for what does Shanghai care? "Shanghai Brown! Oh, Shanghai Brown!" He's got a bridegroom an' bestman, out from Frisco Town. An' he's shipped 'em on the Harvest Moon, the toughest packet goin'; That never gets a sailorman, to sign aboard 'er knowin'; With a hardcase drivin' skipper, an' a brusin'bucko mate, By the Shanghai Passage, through the Golden Gate. "Shanghai Brown! Oh, Shanghai Brown!" By the Shanghai Passage, out from Frisco Town. Yes, they'll wonder in the mornin', what they drank last night; They'll wonder just what hit 'em, if they show an ounce of fight; They'll be scoffin' seaboot duff; they'll be suppin' handspike gruel, Dodgin' the belayin' pin, an' cursin' Shanghai cruel.

"Shanghai Brown! Oh, Shanghai Brown!"
Dodgin' the belayin' pin, out from Frisco Town.

But there's one won't wake nor wonder, nor scoff no grub at all; Nor drag his achin' bones along, to tally on the fall; Nor jump to please the toughest mate, New England ever bred; Nor stand no trick nor lookout, an' for why? Because he's dead! "Shanghai Brown! Oh, Shanghai Brown!" Nor stand no trick nor lookout, out from Frisco Town. Instrumental break "Shanghai Brown! Oh, Shanghai Brown!" The Skipper o' the Harvest Moon is ramp-in' 'round the town! An' he's lookin' for some sailormen, to beg, steal or borrow – There ain't no way he can get a crew, an' he wants to sail tomorrow; "Prime sailor's very scarce just now!" says Shanghai Brown; So he's took and shipped a corpse away, out from 'Frisco Town! (slow down on last line)