Crazy Captain Gunboat Willie Lyrics

-- Bill Payne, Lowell George 

Crazy Captain Gunboat Willie 
Growled out his commands 
And all the able seamen 
Clicked their heels and swore 
They would protect the noble ship 
In peace-time and in war 

And they danced a jig until the dawn 
Sang a loyal sailors song 
Drank a pot of steaming rum 
Did all the things that loyal sailors do 

Captain Bill expressed great glee 
All the things that he had planned 
Were made to go his way 
All the fares he had collected and salted away 
Made his lips turn in a smile 

Just then Luke the rat from down below 
Called to Gunboat Bill 
He said 
Listen to those madmen wail 
They've been at sea for ninety days 
Without the sight of land 
No it doesn't look so good to me 
No it doesn't look so good at all 

The captain pondered what the rat had said 
Until he could think of nothing more 
Then he threw his crew into the foaming sea 
At least a thousand miles from shore 

And he danced a jig until the dawn 
Sang a loyal captain's song 
Drank a pot of steaming rum 
Did all the things that loyal captains do 

The rat looked hard at Gunboat Bill 
And he said in a serious style 
As he leapt into the water 
Don't believe, no don't believe 
Don't believe everything that you hear