"What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor?" is a traditional sea shanty that has been performed and recorded by many musical artists and appeared regularly in popular culture. The lyrics vary slightly depending on the version, but the most common lyrics are:
- What shall we do with a drunken sailor? [three times]
- Early in the morning
- Put him in the longboat and make him bail her
- Shave his belly with a rusty razor
- Put him in a long boat till his sober
- Stick him in a scupper with a hosepipe on him
- Put him in the bed with the captains daughter
- Throw him in the lock-up til hes sober
The song is typically sung as a work song on ships, with the crew singing in unison while performing tasks such as hoisting sails or raising anchor. The song has also been popularized in mainstream culture and is often sung at parties or events.
