91 - Monkey in the Hold

Poor men walk while rich men ride
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold
And we poor sailors are waiting on the tide
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold

Wake up, wake up, the world’s growing old
There’s a donkey in the wheelhouse
There’s a monkey in the hold

We’re bound for Hell’s Mouth, so I’ve been told
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold
Where the poor shovel shit and the rich count the gold
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold

Wake up, wake up…

The wind it is a-blowing and the ship it is a-pitching
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold
If you growl too much, they’ll send you to Hell’s Kitchen
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold

Wake up, wake up…

The Captain’s in the treasury he’s eating all the gold
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold
In between the decks, folks is hungry and they’re cold
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold

Wake up, wake up, the world’s growing old
There’s a donkey in the wheelhouse
There’s a monkey in the hold

If you fall behind when the ship is making speed
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold
The sharks’ll have your knackers as they can’t control their greed
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold

Wake up, wake up…

The officers commanding us, they cheer and raise their glasses
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold
But the higher up the mast they climb, the more we see they’re [their?] arses
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold

Wake up, wake up…

We poor sailors are a-struggling on the tide
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold
For the compass is a-missing and the world is on its side
Wake up below there’s a monkey in the hold

Wake up, wake up, the world’s growing old
There’s a donkey in the wheelhouse
There’s a monkey in the hold

more_chorus_than_verse
post-2000
rebellion