G D C G Floating along, all the day long D G Just stopping at locks full of slime D C G When it’s time for a brew, between me and you D7 G I’ll open a bottle of wine. G Boatload of wine, that’ll be fine, D G Keep me afloat ‘til October I must bid you adieu with a glass and corkscrew D G I don’t want to stay home and be sober. The rains pouring down, it feels like I might drown From steering I think I’ll resign But I’ll not complain, nor will I abstain If opening a bottle of wine Toilet’s full to the brim, emptying it’s grim I’ll go for a pump-out next time I’ve no Elsan Blue, so what’ll I do? Well I’ll open a bottle of wine At the narrow bridge hole, you need self-control For on-coming boats number nine As they push their way through, the air turns to blue So I open a bottle of wine The boat comes to a halt, it seems like a fault As rope and propeller entwine Been down the weed hatch, now I’m dirty and scratched So I’ll open a bottle of wine. Now the engine won’t start, it needs a new part It looks like the end of the end of the line Polish the brass? No, get out a glass And open a bottle of wine © I H Bruce 2007 When boating with friends there always seems to be an unending supply of wine for consumption at the end of the day. We are rapidly approaching the situation where it would be cheaper to fill the boat’s tank with red wine instead of red diesel. This song is obviously based on ‘Bottle of Wine’ but as I wrote and struggled to learn this version I had to avoid listening to Tom Paxton’s original to prevent mental befuddlement. The tune has therefore probably deviated somewhat from what one might expect.