It was thirty days around the horn 
The captain says it's thirty-five more 
The moon looks mean the crew ain't staying 
There's gonna be some blood 
Is what they're all saying 
It's a shakedown cruise 
And I was just another tool 
There ain't no easy way out 
They're gonna shake you 'til you shout 

They treat you like a dog 
But you're only human 
You miss your home Lord, 
You miss that woman 
The captain laughs he says, 
"You boys want some sex?" 
You can squeeze the sails, 
You can lick the decks 
It was a shakedown cruise 
I guess I just was born to lose 
They tell you life is going cheap 
I got myself in pretty deep 

Star light lost in the night 
Drift away and it feels all right 
Star light alone in the night 
Drift away and it feels all right 
I guess it feels all right 

The fever's hot, the winds are blowin' cold 
The captain's crazy eye puts the fear in your soul 
I heard somebody cryin' "Lord let this end 
You know I'll never go to sea again" 
It was a shakedown cruise 
And now we're sendin' out the news 
There ain't no victory at sea unless it's mutiny 
Now if I don't get off alive 
It's just as well I'll be waking up in heaven 
'Cause I've been through hell on this shakedown cruise 
They call it a shakedown cruise 
Shakedown, shakedown cruise 
Shakedown, shake it up and move 
Shakedown, shakin' in my shoes