His name wuz Reuben Ranzo,
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo!
His seamanship wuz blanco.
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo!
Oh, Ranzo wuz no sailor,
He wuz a New York tailor.
Though Ranzo wuz no sailor,
He shipped aboard a whaler.
Shanghaied abord a whaler,
They tried to make ‘im a sailor.
Ranzo couldn’t steer ‘er,
Did ye ever hear anythin’ queerer.
They said he wuz a lubber,
An’ made him eat whale blubber.
He washed once in a fortnight,
He said it wuz his birthright.
He loved the Cap’en’s daughter,
But wuz afraid o’ water.
They lashed him to the gangway,
An’ gave him nine an’ twenty.
They gave him nine an’ twenty,
He thought it rather plenty.
Oh, Reuben Ranzo fainted,
His back with oil wuz painted.
The Cap’en gave him thirty,
His daughter begged fer mercy.
She took him to the cabin,
An’ tried to ease his achin’.
She gave him rum an’ whisky,
Which made him feel dam’ frisky.
She gave him cake an’ water,
An’ a bit more than she aughter.
She taught him navigation,
An’ gave him eddication.
Now Ranzo is a sailor,
He’s a Cap’en of that whaler.
He married the Ol’ Man’s daughter,
An’ still sails on blue water.
Norsk versjon:
Stem opp en shant om Ranzo
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo!
Når ingen andre kan så
Ranzo, me boys, Ranzo!
For sjømann var han ikke
Han kunne bare drikke
Han Jungmann var med fergen
På Vågen borti Bergen
Han fraktet på madammer
Blandt skuter og blandt prammer
Hans jente var helst fri ham
Så han tok en tur til Siam
Han kom ombord I skuten
Og var så dum som stuten
De moret seg så gru’lig
For han spurte om alt mulig
Om kjølsvinet var tjoret
Hvor ofte ble det foret
Og hvorfor het det skaffe
Når han gikk etter kaffe
Så ble han hengt på nokken
Og far hans det var kokken
