English translation

Hurrah jolly, Ch: Sez he, I am cook, Ch: Sez he, Drink right well, Ch: Sez he, A glass of grog, Ch: Sez he, Been to sea, Ch: Sez he, Twenty years, Ch: Sez he, And have always, Ch: Sez he, Plenty luck! Yellow peas, Ch: Sez he, Cook for me, Ch: Sez he, Keep them stirred, Ch: Sez he, Right way through, Ch: Sez he, A piece of bacon, Ch: Sez he, Jolly big, Ch: Sez he, Taste and sea, Ch: Sez he, Mighty good. Baked dumplings, Ch: Sez he, As well known, Ch: Sez he, I split first, Ch: Sez he, In the hand, Ch: Sez he, Then I roll 'em, Ch: Sez he, Make 'em round, Ch: Sez he, They taste well, Ch: Sez he, And are sound. But one part, Ch: Sez he, That is there, Ch: Sez he, I take care, Ch: Sez he, For myself, Ch: Sez he, For my worry, Ch: Sez he, And for my trouble, Ch: Sez he, Always something, Ch: Sez he, Put aside!

The tune of this song comes from a shore song, “In Berlin Sagt ‘Er (In Berlin, Says He)”. When used as a hauling shanty, the pull came on “Seggt he!” It is a humorous song, depicting the cook as a bold shipmate proud of his unique duties.

Despite his isolation, the role of the ship’s cook is vital. From Stan Hugill’s Songs of the Sea, on many ships, the cook’s only sailing job was to slack the foresheet as the rope was near his galley door. Hence one nickname on German ships was “Lord of the Foresheet” (Hein Fockschoot). On many German or Scandinavian ships, he was called, in English: “Doc” or “Doctor”. Many North European ships used nicknames connected with grease, dirt, or soot: Smutje, Smuddje̊, Smeerdraak, Smutt, Kokke-fa’n (Danish), Kesselkommandant, and Kokkesmörja (Norwegian).