Oh where are you going to
All you Big Steamers
With England's own coal
Up and down the salt seas
We are going to fetch you
Your bread and your butter
Your beef pork and mutton
Eggs apples and cheese
Oh where will you fetch it from
All you Big Steamers
And where can I write you
When you are away
We fetch it from Melbourne
Quebec and Vancouver
Address us at Hobart
Hong Kong and Bombay
But if anything happened
To all you Big Steamers
And suppose you was wrecked
Up and down the salt sea
Why then you'd have no
Coffee or bacon for breakfast
And you'd have no muffins
Or toast for your tea
Then I'll pray for fine weather
For all you Big Steamers
With little blue billows
And breezes so soft
Oh billows and breezes
Don't bother Big Steamers
We're iron below
And steel-rigging aloft
Then I'll build a new lighthouse
For all you Big Steamers
With plenty wise pilots
To pilot you through
Oh the Channel's as bright
As a ball-room already
And pilots are thicker
Than pilchards at Looe
Then what shall I do for you
All you Big Steamers
Oh what can I do for
Your comfort and good
Send out your big warships
To watch your big waters
That no one may stop us
From bringing you food
For the bread that you eat
And the biscuits you nibble
The sweets that you suck
And the joints that you carve
They are brought to you daily
By all us Big Steamers
And if any one hinders
Our coming you'll starve