Oh there once was a sailor marooned on dry land A voyageless captain a crewless command With the wind in his hair he's a sight to behold But an oceanless sailor will not be consoled He once was a young man and not unlike me With the chart and the compass for his guarantee With a hand on the wheel and a full magazine If you'd known young Riley you'd know what l mean Oh he would not hold fast there was no compromise It was full speed ahead take them all by surprise The greatest ot sailors changed course and heaved to For Benjamin Riley, his ship, and his crew Oh oh anchors away Live for the giving day after day Oh oh laugh and be sad Just believe in yourself and trust in your God Now most men I know you would not see for dust As their passion tor treasure turned into a lus t And Ben the adventurer was still unprepared When purely by chance he discovered it there Oh it danced and it sparkled, it beckoned, it cried Please keep me and take me along for the ride For you know I can make you a young millionaire Come now, Captain Riley, you don 't have a prayer Oh for all of your shining I don't give a damn And you will not distract me from what I've begun For the stars are my sisters the sea is my heart And I will not be drawn from this compass and chart Oh oh anchors away Live for the giving day after day Oh oh laugh and be sad Just believe in yourselt and trust in your God So they hoisted the anchor and folded the chain As he pointed her eastward and back home again It was seventeen days it was sixteen long nights Before he encountered the strangest of sights They came down to meet him and took him by force And they questioned his morals for leaving that purse Saying we made you a captain a company man But now seaman Riley y ou don't suit our plans Oh oh anchors away Live for the giving day after day Oh oh laugh and be sad Just believe in yourself and trust in your God Oh they've taken his vessel and paid off the crew And they've taken his charts and his compasses too But Benjamin Riley he still has the heart And the will and the spirit he's had from the start Oh there once was a sailor marooned on dry land A voyageless captain A missionless man