JOHN KANAKANAKA
(learned from Westwind Folk Ensemble in about 1975)
I thought I heard the old man say,
John Kanakanaka, too-ri-ay!
Tomorrow is our sailin' day,
John Kanakanaka, too-ri-ay!
Too-ri-ay, too-ri-ay,
John Kanakanaka, too-ri-ay!
I thought I heard the bo's'n say,
You'll work tomorrow but not today,
The bo's'n said, Before I'm through
You'll curse your mother for havin' you,
It's rotten wheat and weevilly bread,
It's pump or drown, the old man said,
Just one more pull and that will do,
And we're the bullies to pull her through,
(from miriam berg's folksong collection)