It's a long way to Shanghai through the vast China Sea
The topsails are full but we're light on the breeze
With a good clip down channel, and the passage looks calm
And there's naught like a clipper just rolling along
Rolling along, boys, rolling along
And there's naught like a clipper just rolling along
'Tween the skeleton beach and the Cape of Good Hope
There's sandbars and reefs, boys, and they'll give you a grope
To you skippers so daring, don't act too cock-sure
Or your ship may be wrecked and you'll sail her no more
Sail her no more, boys, sail her no more
Or your ship may be wrecked and you'll sail her no more
There's pirates in waiting and storms to be tamed
The shoals all bear names of the boats that they claimed
But under our feet the warm waters that roll
Are blue as cut sapphires and shining like gold
Shining like gold, boys, shining like gold
As blue as cut sapphires and shining like gold
Now our cargo is loaded and we catch the dawn tide
I can bare see the vessels I race for the prize
In the docks back in London, they wait for to see
The sails of our clipper and the first stalk of tea
First stalk of tea, boys, first stalk of tea
For the sails of our clipper and the first stalk of tea
Catching the westerly's haul every hand
Pile on the topsail, give all she can stand
For heart then for home, I hear calling me on
And there's naught like a clipper, just rolling along
Rolling along, boys, rolling along
And there's naught like a clipper just rolling along
Rolling along, boys, rolling along
And there's naught like a clipper just rolling along