Backyard Sailor

I'm the grizzled old skipper of the ship Lorelei
A rum-runnin' rascal with a patch on one eye
And the coast guard don't scare me I can give him the slip
But the mermaid on shore, she worries my ship

Chorus
Steer away,
Steer away,
Steer away
And keep free of the shallows and make for the wide open sea
Steer away,
Steer away,
From the rocks and the shoals
Where the sirens' sweet singing will shiver your soul.

The sea nymph she combs out her long golden hair
Turns in the wind and she takes on the glare
And the glint of the sun and the tint of the sea
I'm half blind and giddy and crazy as she

Chorus

For twenty some years I've been making this trip
A backyard sailor on a make-believe ship
Drinkin' rum on the deck in an old easy chair
On tired old tug boat I'd meant to repair

Chorus

All those long afternoon's I've spent eyeing that girl
The weathervane mermaid with gold painted curls
A backyard sailor in in an old easy chair
On a rotten old tug boat I'll never repair.

Chorus

Backyard Sailor is (c) Joe Grant and Terry Young of Tanglefoot