[Intro: boot stomps, three male voices] [“Baritone Singer”] SET UP FOR THE DOUSE! [“Tenor Singer”] JIB IS Ready! [“Bass Singer”] HALYARD CLEAR! [“Three-Part Harmony Singers”] Now let's KEEP THAT KITE OUT OF THE MERE! [Verse 1: gritty baritone, concertina enters] [“Baritone Singer”] We’re charging for the bottom mark, the kite is drawing hard, The call comes down, “Prepare to douse!” and every man stands guard. The jib goes up behind the kite, the halyard’s cleared to run, The sewer’s waiting down below… [“Bass Singer”] AND NOW WE START THE FUN! [“Baritone Singer”] The pit is ready on the clutch, the bough team moves ahead, The trimmer keeps the kite alive… [“Tenor Singer”] UNTIL WE WANT HER DEAD! [Pre-Chorus: call and response] [“Baritone Singer”] Jib is up? [“Tenor Singer”] JIB IS SET! [“Baritone Singer”] Halyard clear? [“Bass Singer”] CLEAR TO RUN! [“Baritone Singer”] Bough team ready? [“Tenor Singer”] HANDS ARE FREE! [“Three-Part Harmony Singers”] POLE TO THE STAY! NOW WAIT FOR ME! [Verse 2: accelerating work-song rhythm] [“Baritone Singer”] The helm bears off to ease the load, the pole comes forward fast, The trimmer straps the sheet in hard and stretches foot at last. The foot comes down within our reach, the bough gets cloth in hand… [“Bass Singer”][ High Intensity] DON’T BLOW THE BLOODY HALYARD! [“Tenor Singer”] ... WAIT FOR THE COMMAND!! [“Baritone Singer”] ... Foot in hand? [“Bough Singer”] I’VE GOT THE KITE! [“Baritone Singer”] Then give the pit the special word! [“Bough Singer”] BLOW! BLOW IT NOW! [Chorus: huge three-part hauling harmony] [“Three-Part Harmony Singers”] GRAB! BLOW! STUFF HER DOWN! GET THAT BLOODY KITE OFF THE BOW! HALYARD RUN AND HANDS GO FAST, FOOT COMES FIRST AND HEAD COMES LAST! GRAB! BLOW! HAUL HER IN! UNDER THE JIB AND DOWN SHE SPINS! GUY STAYS ON TILL KITE’S BELOW, KEEP HER DRY AND DOWN SHE GOES! [Verse 3: heavy hauling cadence] [“Baritone Singer”] The halyard runs, the head comes down, the jib becomes our shield, The bough team hauls the belly in before the lake can steal. Foot aboard and cloth in hand, we gather fast below, The sewer drags the belly down… [“Tenor Singer”] DON’T LET THE BASTARD GO! [“Baritone Singer”] The guy stays on until she’s stuffed, our insurance on the clew, If half the kite goes in the lake… [“Bass Singer”] SHE’LL TAKE THE REST WITH YOU! [Bridge: a cappella call-and-response] [“Baritone Singer”] Who’s got foot? [“Tenor Singer”] FOOT’S ABOARD! [“Baritone Singer”] Who’s got belly? [“Bass Singer”] GIVE ME MORE! [“Baritone Singer”] Halyard? [“Pit Singer”] RUNNING FREE! [“Baritone Singer”] Guy? [“Guy Singer”] STAYS WITH ME! [“Baritone Singer”] Kite in water? [“Three-Part Harmony Singers”] NO! NO! NO! [“Baritone Singer”] Then stuff, you bastards! [“Three-Part Harmony Singers”] DOWN SHE GOES! [Final Chorus: maximum three-part harmony] [“Three-Part Harmony Singers”] GRAB! BLOW! STUFF HER DOWN! HALYARD RUNNING, HANDS AROUND! FOOT ABOARD AND BELLY BELOW, KEEP HER OUT OF ONTARIO! GRAB! BLOW! HAUL HER IN! UNDER THE JIB AND DOWN THE BIN! GUY STAYS ON TILL KITE’S BELOW, THEN GUY COMES OFF AND POLE CAN GO! [Outro: stomps, voices only] [“Baritone Singer”] Kite? [“Tenor Singer”] DOWN! [“Baritone Singer”] Foot? [“Bass Singer”] ABOARD! [“Baritone Singer”] Guy? [“Tenor Singer”] NOW HE’S OFF! [“Baritone Singer”] Halyard? [“Bass Singer”] CLEAR! [“Baritone Singer”] Jib? [“Tenor Singer”] TRIMMED! [“Baritone Singer”] Anybody shrimp it? [“Three-Part Harmony Singers”] NOT THIS TIME! [“Skipper Singer: dry”] Nice douse. [Beat] [“Skipper Singer": Solo voice, dry] "Now we're stuck in the fleets dirt?!!!" [“Entire Crew Singers”] Got No time to admire your douse, it's back to work! [Concertina stab] [End]
