### **Chorus** Roll, boys, roll — the black waves rise, Roll, boys, roll — hear sailors’ cries, Pay her silver, pay her plea, Or sink beneath Umberlee! --- ### **Verse 1** We cast off bold from the harbour wall, With casks of rum in the captain’s hall, The sky lay calm and the wind blew free, But no one paid toll to Umberlee… ### **Chorus** --- ### **Verse 2** A whisper rose from the darkened tide, A hiss of waves on the starboard side, The lookout swore by the moon’s pale hue, He saw her eyes in the waters blue… ### **Chorus** --- ### **Verse 3** The first great wave took Tom from the rail, No time to pray and no time to wail, The second smashed through timber and spar, As thunder split the guiding star… ### **Chorus** --- ### **Verse 4** We threw our coin to the boiling sea, We begged forgiveness on bended knee, But she takes more than gold, it’s true — She takes a life for passage through… ### **Chorus** --- ### **Verse 5** Now when we sail past harbour light, We cast our silver into the night, For sailors live by a simple rule: Respect the sea — or drown a fool. ### **Chorus**