Ben King's Verse/I Fed the Fishes

One day a big excursion sailed afar out in the lake, All bent upon an outing with their sandwiches and cake. They sought the upper deck until the wind began to  blow, When all engaged in different things as every one must know; While I fed the fishes, I fed the fishes, I fed the fishes clear to Old St. Joe.

Good Captain Stines went up on deck to cast his weather eye; A woman sadly, badly prayed, "Oh, Father, let me  die!" The cabin-boys ran back and forth in staterooms all around, While voices shrieked: "Oh, mercy--oop! Oh--  oop! wish I were drowned." But I fed the fishes, I gave them my best wishes, I fed the fishes clear to Old St. Joe.

The pilot boldly held the wheel as through the waves we sped, While Purser Hancock ran abaft to hold some woman's  head; One fellow sat him down and sand: "Good-bye,  sweetheart, good-bye;" Most every one seemed occupied, and, sad to say, then I-- I fed the fishes, I fed the fishes, I fed the fishes clear to Old St. Joe.

The "Chicora" rose up in the air and then came down "kersock;" She wibble-wobbled in the sea and once she struck a  rock; The purser wore a pallid look, the women all turned pale, While calmly I sat out on deck and hung over the rail; For I fed the fishes, I gave them my best wishes, I fed the fishes clear to Old St. Joe.

Some tried to eat their sandwiches, some staggered, reeled and laughed, While others went below to smile, and there the brown ale quaffed. The steward, Richard Waters, rushed about with whisky slings; Most every one seemed occupied, and all did different things, But I fed the fishes, I fed the fishes, I fed the fishes clear to Old St. Joe.