The Napoli - Show Of Hands

Midwinter, two years ago

Out to the west a storm began to blow

And the word went round to those in the know:

The Napoli’s gonna run aground

She’s listing a week out of the docks

A hundred containers a-heading for the rocks

Gather round lads now, quick out of your blocks

Everyone’s Branscombe bound

Said everyone’s Sidmouth bound

Come gangs from the north

Lads off the moor

Wreckers on the cliffs, get down to the shore

Scratch Joe Public

What’s underneath?

A looter, and a pirate, and a thief

All those boxes washed off the deck

Right through the hand of the receiver of the wrecks

We ought to fill a form in, but no-one's gonna check

'Cause there ain’t no coppers on the shore

No, there ain’t no coppers on the shore

Come gangs from the north

Lads off the moor

Wreckers on the cliffs, get down to the shore

Scratch Joe Public

What’s underneath?

A looter, and a pirate, and a thief

Five and twenty ponies

Trotting through the dark

Brandy for the Parson

Baccy for the Clerk

Lace for a lady, letters for a spy;

Watch the wall my darling, while the gentlemen go by

Come gangs from the north

Lads off the moor

Wreckers on the cliffs, get down to the shore

Scratch Joe Public

What’s underneath?

A looter, and a pirate, and a thief

Flotsam, jetsam

Call it what you like

I got a big oak barrel

And a german motorbike

From Lyme Bay to eBay

Tell me where’s the sin?

Everyone’s a wrecker 'neath the skin…

Come gangs from the north

Lads off the moor

Wreckers on the cliffs, get down to the shore

Scratch Joe Public

What’s underneath?

A looter, and a pirate, and a thief

A looter and a pirate and a thief