Buddies First of All

Our boat was not a royal barge
For Cleopatra or King George
It must be said in each port of call
In each port of call
Our raft sailed gently in the breeze
Round the big duck-pond past the trees
A ship named Buddies-First-of-all
Buddies-First-of-all

Its motto wave-tossed but unsunk
Was true and not a load of bunk
Whatever evil tongues let fall
Evil tongues let fall
Among the captain and the crew
There were no bad guys just friends who
Agreed that shipmates must be called
Buddies first of all

We were not kids with silver spoons
Not heavenly twins who want the moon
Just normal children having a ball
Children having a ball
We were not friends in poetry-books
Sometimes we slung a few right-hooks
None of our punches hurt at all
Buddies first of all

We were no angels just kids who
Had never read our Bible through
But got the message one and all
Message one and all
John Peter Paul and company
We only knew one litany
It was our creed our hymn our call
Buddies first of all

If one friend hit a stormy patch
The good companions took the watch
And steered a course to make landfall
Course to make landfall
If anyone was in distress
Or if he sent an S.O.S.
No one ignored the signal call
Buddies first of all

When some of us were meeting up
We never stood each other up
If one was overboard when called
He had died that's all
And in the sea of time that flows
We never let the waters close
Upon his memory most of all
He is missed by all

Although I've sailed in lots of boats
There's only one that stayed afloat
And held its course amid the squalls
Course amid the squalls
It sailed so gently in the breeze
Round the big duck-pond past the trees
A ship named Buddies-First-of-all
Buddies-First-of-all