Salt And Pepper lyrics

Song information

Artist: Harry Chapin
Album: Sequel

Lyrics

The old sailor sat at the window seat
So he could watch as the ships went by
And he drank from a glass that was always filled
For the rest of us would buy
And he would tell us tales about the ships that sailed
When he was young and strong
And when he thought we'd heard enough of his words
He'd break into this song
Dee dee dee dah dah dah dee dee dee dah dah
Dah dah dee dee dee dum

Each and every day he'd spend this way
Until the stroke of four
When a woman as rough as a dockside tough
Came bursting through the door
She'd stalk up to that sailor
And he'd shrink to the size of a pin
And she'd curse and shout and as she hauled him out
He'd say with a sheepish grin:

Chorus:
I've sailed the southern oceans
And the stormy northern sea
But now that me sailin's over, me boys
It's harbor time for me
I know you call us salt and pepper
For an old salt I may be
But though she may be pepper to you, me boys
She's sweet as sugar to me
Dee dee dee dah dah dah dee dee dee dah dah
Dah dah dee dee dee dum

Yes, we called them salt and pepper
For that's the way she was
And it seemed she got as least as hot
As fresh red pepper does
And a bunch of the boys made offers
To protect him from her wrath
But each and every time, he would decline
Declaring with a laugh:

(Repeat chorus)

I've had my body broken
Not drowned, but parched bone-dry
I've heard my name be spoken
I've spit in the devil's eye
The sea once was my mistress
Now pepper's replaced her
But just another captain
Like my tough old captain's were

And you can have your milquetoast ladies
I'm made of old salt brine
And the gal you saw had starch in her craw
Not a lace instead of a spine
Sure, the old girl can get tough at times
But a sailor's what I've been
And when a storm's about, you learn to ride it out
So you can sail once again

(Repeat chorus)