[Intro: unaccompanied crew, low harmony] Heave away— Keep the lid down. [Verse 1: rolling lead, boots marking time] We sailed the last of October With a hundred tons of meat The captain had a private buyer Who liked his cargo cheap Three days out, The ice ran out. [Chorus: full crew, broad sung responses] Heave away, heave away Keep that hatch between The hungry men above the deck And the meat that's turning green Heave away, heave away God save the Wiener Queen [Verse 2: urgent lead, concertina climbing] The cook went down with a carving knife Came up without his thumb A thousand little sausages Were beating on his drum— And something bigger hummed along. [Turnaround: crew harmony, sudden hush] Keep the lid down. (Keep the lid down.) [Instrumental: fiddle and concertina, heavy deck stomps] [Bridge: slower, exposed lead] We split her hull upon the reef And watched the water take her— Then the cargo learned to swim. [Final Chorus: full crew, gathering urgency] Heave away, heave away Keep that sea between The hungry men inside this boat And the meat beneath the green Heave away, heave away Too late for the Wiener Queen [Outro: overlapping crew refrain, fading] Keep the lid down. (Heave away) Keep the lid down. (Heave away) Something's knocking on the boat.
