BARNACLE  BILL THE SAILOR!

I just got back from a doctor appointment where one of my minor complaints was that I have a lot of "barnacles" on my arms.  The cure for that is to freeze them and let them disappear, but they will just grow back.

So I need to learn to live with them. They are just another manifestation of old age.

This reminds me of a famous sailors' song.  Here are some of the "clean" lyrics:

"Who's that knocking at my door? 

Said the fair young maiden!

Well, it's only me from over the sea,

Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor,

I'm all lit up like a Christmas tree, 

Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor,

I'll sail the sea until I croak,

Drink my whiskey, swear, and smoke,

But I can't swim a bloody stroke,

Said Barnacle Bill the Sailor."

This was one of the songs well-known to my cousin, Paul Clayton.  He once published a record album with this title:

Sailing And Whaling Songs of the 19th Century.

He sang the lyrics of such classics as:

The Maid of Amsterdam

Old Stormalong (my favorite)

The Girls around Cape Horn  ("God bless those Spanish Girls") 

Boney Was A Warrier (Bonapart-a British favorite.)

Shenandoah

The Turkish Revelee.

And lots of others.

I love these old songs that the whalers sang during their long time between whale sightings.

(Thar she blows, Captain Ahab!)

I may own the only extant copy of this album. However, the album songs are available to listen to on You Tube.

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