'Tis a rough tough life of toil and strife
We whalemen undergo;
We don't give a damn when the gale is done
How hard the winds do blow.
We're homeward bound, 'tis a damn fine sound,
With a good ship taut and free
We don't give a damn when we drink our rum
With the girls of old Maui.
Chorus (after every verse):
Rolling down to old Maui, me boys
Rolling down to old Maui;
We're homeward bound from the Arctic ground
Rolling down to old Maui.
Once more we sail with a northerly gale
Through the ice and sleet and rain
And them coconut fronds and them tropic lands
Oh we soon shall see again.
Six hellish months have passed away
In the cold Kamchatka Sea
But now we're bound from the Arctic ground
Rolling down to old Maui.
Rolling down to old Maui, me boys
Rolling down to old Maui;
We're homeward bound from the Arctic ground
Rolling down to old Maui.
We'll heave the lead where old Diamond Head
Looms up on old Oahu
Our masts and yards are sheathed with ice
And our decks are hid from view.
The horrid ice of the sea cut tiles
That deck the Arctic sea
Are miles behind in the frozen wind
Since we steered for old Maui.
Rolling down to old Maui, me boys
Rolling down to old Maui;
We're homeward bound from the Arctic ground
Rolling down to old Maui
How soft the breeze of the tropic seas
Now the ice is far astern.
And them native maids and them island glades
Are awaiting our return.
And their big black eyes even now look out
Hoping some fine day to see
Our baggy sails running 'fore the gales
Rolling down to old Maui.
Rolling down to old Maui, me boys
Rolling down to old Maui;
We're homeward bound from the Arctic ground
Rolling down to old Maui
And now we're anchored in the bay
With the kanakas all around
With chants and soft aloha oes
They greet us homeward bound
And now ashore we'll have good fun
We'll paint them beaches red
Awaken in the arms of an island maid
With a big fat achin' head.
Rolling down to old Maui, me boys
Rolling down to old Maui;
We're homeward bound from the Arctic ground
Rolling down to old Maui