The Navigation (Pub) Song
by Ian H Bruce (2007)
Recorded by Ian H Bruce
The boating day's over, the suns setting low
That leaves just one problem, where do we go?
There's pubs round the corner, or so the maps show
But which shall it be? I'm blowed if I know!
Is it into the Bridge or the Traveller's Rest?
Perhaps the Bull's Head for a pint of its best?
But a glass of warm beer or some other libation
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 by 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 so 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 ........ Navigation
Notes from song writer :
There a many canalside pubs called ‘The Navigation’ or something similar. Indeed, I once initiated a canal boating
club competition where the ‘Navigation Tankard’ was awarded to the person or persons who had visited the most pubs
of that name in a year and it was fascinating to see just how many could be found, even in the local area. The song
was written in 2007 and at that time the pubs mentioned in the song did exist. Sadly, at least one is now closed.
Ian H Bruce
Recorded on :
[D]The boating day's [A]over, the [Bm]suns setting [G]low
That [D]leaves just one [A]problem, [G]where do we [D]go?
There's pubs round the [A]corner, or [Bm]so the maps [G]show
But [D]which shall it [A]be? I'm [G]blowed if I [D]know!
Is it [A]into the Bridge or the [D]Traveller's Rest?
Per[G]haps the [D]Bull's Head for a [G]pint of its [A]best?
But a [D]glass of warm [A]beer or some [Bm]other lib[G]ation
Can [D]always be [A]found in the [G]Old Navi[D]gation