[Verse 1] Roving out of my cabin one night
a bottle in hand and a gleam in my eye
I went up on deck to enjoy the sunrise
though it was still hours away
I didn't mind, I still had some rum
some pieces of bread and a jingle to hum
tomorrow we'd reach Copenhagen by night
get paid and be send on our way

[Verse 2] As soon as we made port I took all my pay
and stopping to pray on O'Hanrahan's grave
I went to the pub to drink my life away
before the next voyage on board
Every time that I get back on land
I promise myself that I'll never go back
on board of that vessel where my life began
but every time I do

[Chorus] The first taste is far behind
we'll take another pint
the pint of no return
That scum
heartless one
behold the setting sun
and wretch Robert's grin

[Verse 3] Many a men I have seen died on board
and many again will be jugded by the law
the rigging is swinging with pain and with work
we'll go to the sea once more
off to new ports just to sing dirty songs
drink up, me hearties and gamble of course
I'm on a quest, absolute victory
we're gonna win everywhere

[Chorus] The first taste is far behind
we'll take another pint
the pint of no return
That scum
heartless one
behold the setting sun
and wretch Robert's grin

And every time this takes me down
I'm holding my own as I usually do