Leave her, Johnny, leave her
Oh leave her, Johnny, leave her
For the voyage is done and the winds don’t blow
And it’s time for us to leave her
 
Oh the times was hard and the wages low
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
But now once more on shore we’ll go
And it’s time for us to leave her

There’s Liverpool Pat with his tarpaulin hat
And Yankee John, the pocket rat

I thought I heard the old man say
Tomorrow you will get your pay

Oh, the work was hard and the voyage long
Oh, the sea was high and the gales was strong

Oh, sing that we boys will never be
In a hungry bitch, the likes of she

Its rotten beef and waverly bread
It was pump or drown, the old man said

The sails all furled, our work is done
And now ashore we’ll take our run

Oh, what will us poor shellbacks do?
Our money’s gone, more work to do.
 
Well the rats have left, and we the crew
Oh, it’s time by damn’ that we went to