Rolling Along

It's a long way to Shanghai through the vast China Sea

The topsails are full but we're light on the breeze

With a good clip down channel, and the passage looks calm

And there's naught like a clipper just rolling along

Rolling along, boys, rolling along

And there's naught like a clipper just rolling along

'Tween the skeleton beach and the Cape of Good Hope

There's sandbars and reefs, boys, and they'll give you a grope

To you skippers so daring, don't act too cock-sure

Or your ship may be wrecked and you'll sail her no more

Sail her no more, boys, sail her no more

Or your ship may be wrecked and you'll sail her no more

There's pirates in waiting and storms to be tamed

The shoals all bear names of the boats that they claimed

But under our feet the warm waters that roll

Are blue as cut sapphires and shining like gold

Shining like gold, boys, shining like gold

As blue as cut sapphires and shining like gold

Now our cargo is loaded and we catch the dawn tide

I can bare see the vessels I race for the prize

In the docks back in London, they wait for to see

The sails of our clipper and the first stalk of tea

First stalk of tea, boys, first stalk of tea

For the sails of our clipper and the first stalk of tea

Catching the westerly's haul every hand

Pile on the topsail, give all she can stand

For heart then for home, I hear calling me on

And there's naught like a clipper, just rolling along

Rolling along, boys, rolling along

And there's naught like a clipper just rolling along

Rolling along, boys, rolling along

And there's naught like a clipper just rolling along