Drunken Sailor✧
A sturdy pulse and a rousing refrain. Give repeated notes a crisp little tap.
Sheet music
Tap a staff note or finger tab to hear it.
Verse
Chorus
D whistle · E dorian · 4/4 · 160 BPM · + upper octave
Verse
Chorus
Lyrics
Traditional sea shanty · opening verse and chorus
A short traditional singing version. Repeat the chorus after each verse; many other verses circulate.
What shall we do with a drunken sailor, What shall we do with a drunken sailor, What shall we do with a drunken sailor, Early in the morning?
Chorus Weigh heigh and up she rises, Weigh heigh and up she rises, Weigh heigh and up she rises, Early in the morning.
Put him in the longboat till he’s sober, Put him in the longboat till he’s sober, Put him in the longboat till he’s sober, Early in the morning.
About this tune
Drunken Sailor is a work song from the age of sail, documented aboard ships by the nineteenth century. Its strong pulse and repeated calls made it suited to coordinated labor, and it later became familiar far beyond maritime communities.
There is no single fixed set of verses: singers repeat the question and supply different answers. The brisk refrain and insistent repeated notes give the shanty its driving character.
Performances
Watch musicians play this tune on tin whistle. Keys and arrangements may differ from the tabs above.
Drunken Sailor
CutiePie
Tin whistle · short performance with tab guidance
Watch on YouTube — Drunken Sailor by CutiePie (opens in a new tab) ↗