May 2014
The battles finally over, the deck is rent and torn
By the shot and shell that struck us in the battle storm
So sew him in his hammock lads, put the last stitch through his nose
Place a roundshot at his feet then over the side he goes
This then is the way we say goodbye to our comrades of the ship
We never knew their real names, maybe Harry Tom or ****
Yes we gave our mate the deep six, he's now six fathoms down
Lying on the bottom on his final resting place the sand
No time yet to ponder on his untimely death
We must make and mend and make our ship the best
By the shot and shell that struck us in the battle storm
So sew him in his hammock lads, put the last stitch through his nose
Place a roundshot at his feet then over the side he goes
This then is the way we say goodbye to our comrades of the ship
We never knew their real names, maybe Harry Tom or ****
Yes we gave our mate the deep six, he's now six fathoms down
Lying on the bottom on his final resting place the sand
No time yet to ponder on his untimely death
We must make and mend and make our ship the best
The last stitch through the nose: The sailmaker always put the last stitch through the nose to ensure the sailor really was dead
The deep six: Six fathoms or 36 feet was traditionally the minimum depth for a burial at sea
A round shot at his feet: This was to ensure that the body didn't float
Why were sailors called tars? Because most sailors of that era had a pigtail that was coated in tar hence the traditional square scarf that some sailors wear even to this day
The deep six: Six fathoms or 36 feet was traditionally the minimum depth for a burial at sea
A round shot at his feet: This was to ensure that the body didn't float
Why were sailors called tars? Because most sailors of that era had a pigtail that was coated in tar hence the traditional square scarf that some sailors wear even to this day
