Retirement Song

The fourth track of the album Bones in the Ocean and a Longest Johns original, "Retirement Song" was written by Josh Bowker. Contrary to the common themes of most sailing songs, this song takes a cue from "Marching Inland" and Off to Sea, exploring the idea of just staying home.
Though originally released as an a cappella track, since late 2022, the band has performed it with full instrumental accompaniment, including a banjo solo from Andy and a slap bass breakdown from Antonio.
==Factoids==
Cat o' nine refers to a cat-o'-nine-tails, a rope whip with nine knotted cords, used for flogging sailors as punishment.https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/cat-o'-nine-tails
A crow's nest was a shelter or platform fixed at the masthead of a vessel as a place for a lookout to stand.https://www.lexico.com/definition/crow's_nest
==Lyrics==
Since Robbie took over leading the song from Josh, a few lyrics have been changed. This set reflects the current version as performed live and on streams; where they differ from the album version, the originals are noted below with asterisks.
I've been roaming all my life and now I've found a lady wife
(I'm staying... right here!)
Oh, I won't go sailing any more, I won't obey the ocean's call 
(I'm staying... right here!) [continues throughout verses]
{Chorus}
I'll be a man of the land
I'll be a man of the trees
I'll be a man wherever my woman will be
I won't be any captain's mate
I won't be servant of the seas
'Cause this pretty little woman is all I need
At 14 I was cabin boy to fearsome Captain Buckleroy
When I was sick he ordered cat o' nine until I said that I felt fine
{Chorus}
At 20 I manned our crow's nest and captain said I was the best
But I almost* lost my eyes to God just lookin' out for old Cape Cod
{Chorus}
At 25 no man alive could match my skill for gunnin'
But the captain he got drunk one night and broke** the blasted cannon
{Chorus}
Captain died at 28 and by then I was his first mate
Oh, they tried to give me his command but I was hungry for the land
{Chorus}
I jumped aboard at Morecambe Bay and made for Bristol down the way***
Oh, I fell in love when first I saw her, Avon County's finest daughter
(And now she's got me staying right here!)
{Chorus 2x}
*nearly
**sank
***Stepped ashore at Felixstowe and made for Bristol by the road
==Recordings==
====Streaming/Purchase====
Original EP version
*Amazon Music (Bones in the Ocean version)
*Apple Music/iTunes (Bones in the Ocean version)
*Bandcamp (Bones in the Ocean version)
*Deezer (Bones in the Ocean version)
*Pandora (Bones in the Ocean version)
*Spotify (Bones in the Ocean version
Commodore 1864 version
*Amazon Music (Commodore 1864 version)
*Apple Music/iTunes (Commodore 1864 version)
*Deezer (Commodore 1864 version)
*Pandora (Commodore 1864 version)
*Spotify (Commodore 1864 version)
10 Year Anniversary Edition - 2023 arrangement
*Amazon Music (2023)
*Apple Music/iTunes
*Bandcamp
*Deezer (2023)
*Pandora
*Spotify (2023)
*Tidal
10 Year Anniversary Edition - Remixed
*Amazon Music (Remix)
*Apple Music/iTunes
*Bandcamp
*Deezer (Remix)
*Pandora
*Spotify (Remix)
*Tidal
====YouTube Videos====
*Original EP version
*Commodore 1864 version
*10 Year Anniversary Edition - 2023 arrangement
*10 Year Anniversary Edition - Remixed
====Gig Videos====
*The Three Tuns, Bristol (29 Nov 2018)
*XXXIX Międzynarodowy Festiwal Piosenki Żeglarskiej (22 Feb 2020)
*XXXIX Międzynarodowy Festiwal Piosenki Żeglarskiej (23 Feb 2020)
*Falmouth Shanty Festival 2022, with The Severn Whalers
*Jimmy's - Liverpool (9 Dec 2022)
*Cursus Festival 2023
====Full Band Streams====
*The Longest Johns Impromptu Singing Stream! (17 Nov 2018)
*The Longest Johns and Friends, February Edition (New donation system) (27 Feb 2019)
*The Longest Johns Streamtember (4 Sept 2019)
*TLJ Christmas Party!! (18 Dec 2019)
*Isolation Stream 'n' Skypeathon! (1 Apr 2020)
*It's a stream! A Live stream! With The Longest Johns! (13 May 2020)
*It's hot! Stream was a bad choice... Or was it? (24 Jun 2020)
*Boulevard of Broken Streams (17 Feb 2021)
*Amazing Technicolor Stream-coat!! (7 Jul 2021)
*Be Stream And Not Heard (6 Oct 2021)
*Cadbury Stream Egg (13 Apr 2022)
*Hark the Herald Angels Stream (21 Dec 2022)
*Stream Girls (27 Apr 2023)
*Davestream Beleaver (30 May 2023)
*Stream Lantern (27 Sep 2023)
*JINGLE JAM DAY 8! The Longest Johns Live Jingle Jam Concert (8 Dec 2023)
*It Was Christmas Stream Babe (20 Dec 2023)
====Gaming Streams====
*Sea of Sings! with Spammals! SHANT! - 1/11/2020
*Let's get in the sea and do a music! - 14/05/2021
*SING OF THIEVES! JINGLE JAM 2021 - DAY 14! - THE LONGEST JOHNS (17 Dec 2021)
Category:Longest Johns Originals
Category:Songs
Category:Bones in the Ocean
Category:Robbie Songs
Category:Josh Songs
Category:Commodore 1864