The Longest Johns
Lyric guide

Retirement Song

Retirement Song lyrics by The Longest Johns. I've been roaming all my life and now I've found a lady wife I'm staying, right here! Oh I won't go sailing any...

The Longest Johns visibility2 visits
person Curated by Ethan Walker LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot

The page facts to cite before the commentary

Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.

Page type: lyric reference Artist: The Longest Johns Canonical path: /the-longest-johns/retirement-song Related lyric paths: 6
Lyrics

Retirement Song

The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.

I've been roaming all my life and now I've found a lady wife

I'm staying, right here!

Oh I won't go sailing any more I won't obey the ocean's call

By I'm staying, right here!

I'll be a man of the land

I'll be a man of the trees

I'll be a man wherever my woman will be

I won't be any captain's mate

I won't be servant of the seas

'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need

At 14 I was cabin boy to fearsome Captain Buckleroy

I'm staying, right here!

When I was sick he ordered cat 'o nine, until I said that I felt fine

I'm staying, right here!

I'll be a man of the land

I'll be a man of the trees

I'll be a man wherever my woman will be

I won't be any captain's mate

I won't be servant of the seas

'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need

At 20 I manned our crow's nest and captain said I was the best

I'm staying right here!

But I nearly lost my eyes to God just lookin' out for old Cape Cod

I'm staying right here!

I'll be a man of the land

I'll be a man of the trees

I'll be a man wherever my woman will be

I won't be any captain's mate

I won't be servant of the seas

'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need

At 25 no man alive could match my skill for gunnin'

I'm staying right here!

But the Captain he got drunk one night and sank the blasted cannon

I'm staying right here!

I'll be a man of the land

I'll be a man of the trees

I'll be a man wherever my woman will be

I won't be any captain's mate

I won't be servant of the seas

'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need

Captain died at twenty eight and by then I was his first mate

I'm staying, right here!

Well they tried to give me his command but I was hungry for the land

I'm staying, right here!

I'll be a man of the land

I'll be a man of the trees

I'll be a man wherever my woman will be

I won't be any captain's mate

I won't be servant of the seas

'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need

Stepped ashore at Felixstowe and made for Bristol by the road

I'm staying, right here!

Well I fell in love when first I saw her

Avon County's finest daughter

And now she's got me staying right here (a-way!)

I'll be a man of the land

I'll be a man of the trees

I'll be a man wherever my woman will be

I won't be any captain's mate

I won't be servant of the seas

'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need

I'll be a man of the land

I'll be a man of the trees

I'll be a man wherever my woman will be

I won't be any captain's mate

I won't be servant of the seas

'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need

Quick answers

What this page can answer fast

Who performs "Retirement Song"?

The Longest Johns performs "Retirement Song", and this lyric page sits inside the The Longest Johns catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "Retirement Song"?

Yes. The related section below points to The Curse and Off to Sea with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by The Longest Johns?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through The Longest Johns's lyric pages.

Song Room

Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song

Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.

Open Song Room
0 followers Selected insights only surface after moderation
Listener comments

What people are saying

0 comments
Add a short interpretation or memory

A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.

Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.

No listener comments on Retirement Song yet.