They are talking ‘bout that R word On the news most every night But I won’t use that R word I don’t want to start a fight I don’t have time for TV Don’t care much what they say Life is full of hardship Don’t need no R word thrown my way This ship I’m on hauls cargo Sailing ‘cross the open sea I’m called a merchant seaman Don’t use no R word around me The R word it was used a lot In the days of tall ships high To give a name to those brave souls Who dropped the sails from the sky They knew the terms for all the knots Had a name for every line Kept them curled neat on deck Saved them lots of working time You won’t hear that R word Live At 5 unless they slip But now those days are long since past There are no riggers on new ships