C G Am F The boating day’s over, the suns setting low C G F C That leaves just one problem, where do we go G Am F There’s pubs round the corner, or so the maps show C G F C But which shall it be, I’m blowed if I know G C Is it into the Bridge or the Traveller’s Rest F C F G Perhaps the Bull’s Head for a pint of its best C G Am F But a glass of warm beer or some other libation C G F C Can always be found in the Old Navigation The boating day’s over, the engine is stopped The weed hatch is cleared and the deck has been mopped There’s pubs near the chandlers, where once we have shopped But which shall it be, for which should we opt? Is it into the Ship or the Narrowboat Inn Perhaps the Fool’s Nook for a drop of dry Gin But a glass of warm beer or some other libation Can always be found in the Old Navigation The boating day’s over, the ropes are all tied Though thoroughly soaked, I am washed and now dried There’s pubs by the locks, so my crew all confide But which shall it be, how do we decide? Is it into the Wharf or the Boat or the Swan Perhaps the Tame Otter with its Dom Perignon But a glass of warm beer or some other libation Can always be found in the Old Navigation The boating day’s over, I’ve survived rain and sleet Let’s hope for an inn with some semblance of heat There’s pubs up the hill, so let’s not be downbeat But which shall it be, just where can we eat? Is it into the Cross Keys or Ye Ring O’Bells Or make way to the Anchor for a Jack Daniels But a glass of warm beer or some other libation Can always be found in the Old Navigation The boating day’s over and reality strikes If we’re wanting a pub we must get on our bikes There’s none to be seen though we’ve looked several times There’s no more pub names and no more desperate rhymes There’ll be no Jolly Sailors and no Drunken Duck We were wanting a pint but we’ve run out of luck There’ll be no warm beer or any other libation There’s not even a pub called the blank Navigation © I H Bruce 2007 All the pubs mentioned in this song did exist beside some canal or other when the song was written but at least one, to my knowledge, has closed for good. For obvious reasons this song has acquired another name, 'Desperate Rhymes'.