i m the son of the son of a sailor and i spend all me time on the sea on a tall clipper ship named the rover she s home to me shipmates and me we ve sailed her through all kinds of weather through waves that were high as the mast and she brings us back safely to ireland to her home in the port of belfast and we ll drink to the health of the rover likewise to the captain and crew may kind providence shine upon them whenever they re out on the blue the good ship lies ready at anchor we sail with the tide in the morn across the atlantic to boston and to frisco around by cape horn farewell and adieu to you nancy i m off to the sea for awhile and you are the one i will think on till i m back in paddy s green isle and we ll drink to the health of the rover likewise to the captain and crew may kind providence shine upon them whenever they re out on the blue we re now in full sail on the ocean with the westerly wind blowing free she cuts like a knife through the water she rules every wave of the sea she s the fastest tall clipper a sailing the pride of the carpentry line doing 17 knots in the voyage she ll have you back home in fine time and we ll drink to the health of the rover likewise to the captain and crew may kind providence shine upon them whenever they re out on the blue and now we are nearing old ireland for the harbor has come into sight the lassies are all on the dockside there ll be singing and dancing to night we ll be drinking strong whiskey and porter till they carry us out through the door and when we have spend all our money we ll go back on the rover once more and we ll drink to the health of the rover likewise to the captain and crew may kind providence shine upon them whenever they re out on the blue and we ll drink to the health of the rover likewise to the captain and crew may kind providence shine upon them whenever they re out on the blue