Shanty Man's Life
by Dave Van Ronk
From the album: Inside Dave Van Ronk
Track 9 of 12 on Inside Dave Van Ronk (1964).
Duration: 3:18
Lyrics for Shanty Man's Life
A shanty man's life is a wearisome one Though some say it's free from care It's the swinging of an axe From morning 'till night In the forest wild and drear Transported as we are from a lady so fair To the banks of some lonely stream Where the wolf, bear, and owl Give a terrifying howl And disturb our nightly dreamin' Oh sleeping at night in our bunks without cheer While the cold winter winds do blow But as soon as the morning Star does appear To the wild woods we must go Had we ale, wine, or beer our spirits for to cheer When we're in those woods so wild Where a glass of whiskey shone When we're in the woods alone For to pass away our long exile Shantying, I'll give o'er when I landed safe on shore And I'll lead a different life No more will I roam But contented stay at home With a happy little smiling wife A shanty man's life is a wearisome one Though some say it's free from care It's the swinging of an axe From morning 'till night In the forest wild and drear