Salt And Pepper
Words and Music by Harry Chapin

The old sailor sat at the window seat 
So he could watch as the ships went by
And he drank from a glass that was always filled 
For the rest of us would buy

And he would tell us tales about the ships that sailed 
When he was young and strong
And when he thought we'd heard enough of his words 
He'd break into this song.
Dee dee dee, dah dah dah, dah dah dee dee dee dah, dah dah dee dee dee dee dum

Each and every day he'd spend his way 
Up to the stroke of four
Then a woman as rough as a dockside tough 
Came bursting through the door

She'd stalk up top that sailor 
And he'd shrink to the size of a pin
She'd curse and shout
Then she'd haul him out
And he's say with a sheepish grin

Oh yes I've sailed the southern oceans 
And the stormy northern sea
But now that my sailing's over me boys 
It's harbor time for me

I know you call us salt and pepper 
For an old salt I may be
But though she may be pepper to you me boys
She's sweet as sugar to me
Dee dee dee, dah dah dah, dah dah dee dee dee dah, dah dah dee dee dee dee dah

Yes, we'd call them salt and pepper 
For that's the way she was
And it seems she got at least as hot 
As fresh red pepper does

And a bunch of the boys made offers 
To protect him from her wrath
But each and every time, he would decline 
Declaring with a laugh.

He said I've sailed the southern oceans 
And the stormy northern sea
But now that my sailing's over me boys 
It's harbor time for me

I know you call us salt and pepper 
For an old salt I may be
But though she may be pepper to you me boys
She's sweet as sugar to me
Dee dee dee, dah dah dah, dah dah dee dee dee dah, dah dah dee dee dee dee dah

I've had my body broken
Not drowned but parched bone dry 
I've heard my name be spoken 
I've spit in the devil's eye

The sea once was my mistress 
Now pepper's replaced her 
But just another captain
Like my tough old captains were

And you can have your milktoast ladies 
I'm made of old salt brine
And the gal you saw had starch in her craw 
Not a lace instead of a spine 

Sure the old girl can get tough at times 
But a sailor's what I've been
When a storm's about you learn to ride it out 
So you can sail once again

Oh yes, I've sailed the southern oceans 
And the stormy northern sea
But now that my sailing's over me boys 
It's harbor time for me

I know you call us salt and pepper 
For an old salt I may be
But though she may be pepper to you me boys
She's sweet as sugar to me
Dee dee dee, dah dah dah, dah dah dee dee dee dah, dah dah dee dee dee dee dah
Dee dee dee, dah dah dah, dah dah dee dee dee dah, dah dah dee dee dee dee dah