Story Behind The Song

In the early days of sail on the high seas sailors were enlisted by any means necessary.

Song Description

Medium-fast I-IV-I-V Gmaj AABABCB format straight-8 Pop/Rock with horn lines. Historical tale of Bunko Kelly.

Lyrics

Slipped into a saloon today, and we all got stupid drunk
Never know what'll come your way, sometimes you just can't get enough
Did you know the old Grim Reaper's hiding inside
And he'll have you dizzy from formaldehyde - singin' goodbye

Before the eerie light of dawn, we'll be twenty-miles out at sea
Delivered to the ship's master, by the shady crimp J. Kelly
Portland's band of dead-drunk sailors they went
A crew of corpses from a Mickey Finn, all fell in, all fell in

Shanghaied Sailors - from the rowdy boom-town
All shipped over - for Bunko Kelly
Green-eyed sailors - from the Mission's brothels
Manned the schooners - for Bunko Kelly yeah - Bunko Kelly

Another rough and tumble day, two helpless lads got beaten and drugged
In Baghdad-by-the-Bay, runners fill the crew from a hole in the den
Subterfuge on the Barbary Coast takes one more
Servitude on a clipper-ship offshore - 'round Cape Horn, 'round Cape Horn

Shanghaied Sailors - from the rowdy boom-town
All shipped over - for Bunko Kelly
Green-eyed sailors - from the Mission's brothels
Manned the schooners - for Bunko Kelly

Street-walkers and panhandlers, gangs, drunks and thieves
Chase the young things on the seedy side of Market Street
Shoemakers, lumberjacks and the downtrodden unwary
Sent to bucko-mates of the high seas -
Shanghaied Sailors, Shanghaied - Shanghaied Sailors, oh oh

Shanghaied Sailors - from the rowdy boom-town
All shipped over - For Bunko Kelly
Green-eyed sailors - from the Mission's brothels
Manned the schooners - for Bunko Kelly

Slipped into a saloon today - and there she was finer the fine
She's been waitin' all this time - just for another Shanghaied Sailor...