[Verse]
Twas a cold and frosty morning in December,
Oh, and all of me money, it was spent,
Where it went to, oh, Lord, I can't remember,
So it's down to the shipping office went.

[Chorus]
So Paddy, lie back, (Oh Paddy lie back.)
Take in your slack, (Take in your slack.)
Take your turn, put on your caps and leap aboard,
For a bound ship for England, boys be handy,
We're bound for Valaparaiso round the Horn.

[Verse]
Oh, last night there was a great demand for sailors,
For the Colonies, for Frisco and for France,
So I climbed aboard an English ship for 'The Hotspur',
When paralytic drunk I climbed aboard.

[Chorus]
So Paddy, lie back, (Oh Paddy lie back.)
Take in your slack, (Take in your slack.)
Take your turn, put on your caps and leap aboard,
For a bound ship for England, boys be handy,
We're bound for Valaparaiso round the Horn.

[Verse]
There was Frenchmen, there was German, there as Russians,
And Jolly Jacques came cross to be for France,
And not one of them could speak a word of English,
But they'd answer to the name of Bill or Sean.

[Chorus]
So Paddy, lie back, (Oh Paddy lie back.)
Take in your slack, (Take in your slack.)
Take your turn, put on your caps and leap aboard,
For a bound ship for England, boys be handy,
We're bound for Valaparaiso round the Horn.

[Verse]
Well I woke up in the morning sick and sore,
I wished I'd never sailed away again,
Till a voice it came tumbling through the floor,
"Get up and pay attention to your name!"

[Chorus]
So Paddy, lie back, (Oh Paddy lie back.)
Take in your slack, (Take in your slack.)
Take your turn, put on your caps and leap aboard,
For a bound ship for England, boys be handy,
We're bound for Valaparaiso round the Horn.

[Chorus]
So Paddy, lie back, (Oh Paddy lie back.)
Take in your slack, (Take in your slack.)
Take your turn, put on your caps and leap aboard,
For a bound ship for England, boys be handy,
We're bound for Valaparaiso,
We're bound for Valaparaiso,
We're bound for Valaparaiso round the Horn.