Arouse true friends to freedom's cause
Ye working men arise !
Repel with scorn your sneaking foes
Their lawless schemes despise
United stand, defend your cause -
Be faithful firm and true -
By sound and honest argument
The right will wrong subdue
Then flourish long the Sunday boat
The captain and the crew
Some sycophantic fawning knaves
To wealth may bend the knee
And yield with a submissive bow
While we would fain be free
Then rally round your standard boys -
Again this pledge renew
By sound and honest argument
The right will wrong subdue
Then flourish long the Sunday boat
The captain and the crew
The unco guid may preach and pray
Your honest minds to shock
They want nae sheep to gang astray
But want to fleece the flock
They term us a' a reckless race -
A sair misguided few
Poor working men, can they be right ?
But right or wrong subdue
Denounce them in the strongest terms
The captain and the crew
Wi' mocking slang and vile harangue
They crush the poor man down
And this to imitate the man
Who ne'er was seen to frown:
But dearest friends still claim the right
That he bequeathed to you
And plainly speak your sentiments
Like honest men and true
And still support your Sunday boat
The captain and the crew
How sweet the great and glorious boon
Which some denounce and chide
To scent the caller breeze that blaws
Upon the banks of Clyde
There nature in its fairest from
The working man can view:
'Twill add fresh vigour to his frame
His mental powers renew
Then still support your Sunday boat
The captain and the crew.
That Scottish laird, Sir James Colquhoun
A band o' stirks¹ had 'greed
In fierce array last Sabbath day
Arrang'd at Gaireloch head
Weel armed with cudgels thick and strong
A warlike force to view
With loud uproar they bawl'd and swore
The Emperor they'd subdue
And send them hame the road they came
The captain and the crew.
Regardless of their blustering foes
The passengers did land
And hurling down the barricades
They fought them hand to hand
Raw spuds went thundering through their ranks
Like balls at waterloo
Which made Colquhoun's wild warriors flinch
And from the ground they flew
And left victorious on the field
The captain and the crew
Your hare-brained empty headed foes
From bowling pier to kirn
With battle axe and wooden poles
Would block you stem and stern
But oh! Let you my worthy friends
A milder course pursue
Repay them with the golden rule
Which they refuse to you
But still support the Sunday boat
The captain and the crew