Lyrics
Pass the Mug
Maritime-themed Song
Music and Lyrics © 2005 Christie Dalby & Gina Dalby
Chorus:
So pass the mug around me boys,
Pass it round again.
Don’t be stingy, don’t be shy,
We’re drinking to a friend.
Pass the mug around me boys,
Shout and raise’em high.
It’s always greater to have said,
BETTER HIM THAN I!
Now Jon he was a fine young lad,
We loved him like our own.
Said be careful son where you go,
How far away you roam.
The ladies they will cheat ya boy,
With pretty words they lie.
He strayed one night, never seen again,
BETTER HIM THAN I!
Chorus
Now Davy was a strapping lad,
Brave and strong of will.
Said be watchful boy of who you know,
The nicest ones can kill.
The crimps are all so crafty,
So mind your mug of rye.
He didn’t heed and was shipped away,
BETTER HIM THAN I!
Chorus
Now Dean he was a sailor true
Had a smile for all his mates.
Said be steady man where you sail,
He always tempted the fates.
He took a dare to face a gale,
Heaved off with a laugh and a sigh.
Then surrendered over to Davy Jones,
BETTER HIM THAN I!
Chorus
Gina’s plans they had all worked out,
All our schemes were played,
And Christie’s traps had all been sprung,
They hadn’t been afraid.
The boys were gone, the girls were free
To slip out on the sly.
With map, and ship, they sailed away,
Laughin’: BETTER HIM THAN I!
Chorus
WHERE TO FIND IT
Song Notes
Christie and Gina Dalby (aka The Dalby Twins) are founding members of Bounding Main. They say, “Gina and Christie, after noticing a lack of drinking songs in the repertoire, crafted a tune that both told a story and encouraged audience members to raise their mugs to the music. At live shows, Bounding Main has been known to play a game with the audience where attendees pass a special mug around, as instructed by the song, and the person who ends up with the mug at the end of the ditty, wins a prize. You just never know what will happen at a Bounding Main show!”