Sam’s Gone Away is a capstan chantey of murky origins. It’s a good starter chantey as it is mostly chorus, the leader simply singing the opening line alone. It starts with washing to be a cabin boy and rises up through the ranks ultimately ending with wishing to be the admiral! But many today add silly lines such as wishing to be the figurehead or a seagull or even a barnacle.

I wish I was a cabin boy, aboard a man o’ war!
Sam’s gone away, aboard a man o’ war!
Pretty work, brave boys,
Pretty work, I say!
Sam’s gone away, aboard a man o’ war!

I wish I was sailor, aboard a man o’ war!

I wish I was foretopman, aboard a man o’ war!

I wish I was a gunner, aboard a man o’ war!

I wish I was the bos’un aboard a man o’ war!

I wish I was a midshipman…

I wish I was the master…

I wish I was lieutenant…

I wish I was the captain…

I wish I was the admiral…