Verse 1 Buy a steel dumpster, paint it Navy gray, Call it home for nine long months away. Run your pipes and wires all along the wall, No privacy, no comfort, no room at all. Repaint the whole dang place every other day, Trip over every doorway when you walk your way. Bang your head on headers till you finally learn, A sailor earns his paycheck with every hard turn. Chorus Oh, welcome to the sailor’s life, Coffee black and sleep so tight, Cold steel walls and midnight calls, Workin’ hard through stormy nights. Turn the water off while you soap away, Sing “Anchors Away” at the break of day. It ain’t glamorous, but brother it’s true, That salty old sailor life gets in you. Verse 2 Raise your bed up close against the ceiling fan, You can’t roll over like an ordinary man. Sweep the driveway three times every day, Even if the dirt has all blown away. Make that coffee strong enough to melt a spoon, Let it simmer all afternoon. Take a shower in a minute or two, That’s the way the Navy teaches you. Chorus Oh, welcome to the sailor’s life, Coffee black and sleep so tight, Cold steel walls and midnight calls, Workin’ hard through stormy nights. Turn the water off while you soap away, Sing “Anchors Away” at the break of day. It ain’t glamorous, but brother it’s true, That salty old sailor life gets in you. Bridge You’ll miss the shore and the open land, But you’ll find your brothers hand in hand. Through the rolling seas and the engine roar, A sailor’s heart keeps wanting more. Final Chorus Oh, welcome to the sailor’s life, Rust and sweat and sacrifice, Laughing loud through the hardest days, Living proud in a sailor’s way. So if you want to know what sailors do, Try livin’ this life for a week or two. You may complain, but deep inside, You’ll feel that Navy sailor pride.