(‘Til a Sailor’s Been Tattooed)
From the musical “There’s No Business Like Show Business”, 1954
Words and music by Irving Berlin
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
I’m an old salt
I’m a young salt
In the Navy we’ve been working very hard
I was part of the Flotilla with Dewey in Manila
I’m a new recruit at the Brooklyn Navy yard
Tonight we’re on a spree and feeling flow’ry
We’ve got a date with gals and drink and food
Across the Brooklyn Bridge and to the Bow’ry
And I’m gonna get the kid tattooed
Tattooed?
Tattooed!
A sailor’s not a sailor ’til a sailor’s been tattooed
Here’s an anchor from a tanker
That I sailed upon when first I went to sea
Here’s another of my mother
Takes me back to when I sat upon her knee
Here’s a crimson heart with a Cupid’s dart
Here’s a Battle Cruiser and when I sit down
On that, too, there’s a tattoo of my home town
To the Bow’ry?
To the Bow’ry!
‘Cross the Brooklyn Bridge and I’m just in the mood
He’ll be filled with diff’rent mixtures
And covered up with pictures
I can’t wait to be, ’twill be great to be tattooed
Tattooed?
Tattooed!
A sailor’s not a sailor ’til a sailor’s been tattooed