I′m the grizzled old skipper of the ship Lorelei

A rum-runnin' rascal with a patch on one eye

And the coast guard don′t scare me I can give him the slip

But the mermaid on shore, she worries my ship

Steer away, steer away, steer away

And keep free of the shallows and make for the wide open sea

Steer away, steer away

From the rocks and the shoals

Where the sirens' sweet singing will shiver your soul

Now the sea nymph she combs out her long golden hair

Turns in the wind and she takes on the glare

And the glint of the sun and the tint of the sea

I'm half blind and giddy and crazy as she

Steer away, steer away, steer away

And keep free of the shallows and make for the wide open sea

Steer away, steer away

From the rocks and the shoals

Where the sirens′ sweet singing will shiver your soul

Now for twenty some years I′ve been making this trip

A backyard sailor on a make-believe ship

Drinkin' rum on the deck in an old easy chair

On a tired old tug boat I′d meant to repair

Steer away, steer away, steer away

And keep free of the shallows and make for the wide open sea

Steer away, steer away

From the rocks and the shoals

Where the sirens' sweet singing will shiver your soul

All those long afternoon′s I've spent eyeing that girl

The weathervane mermaid with gold painted curls

A backyard sailor in in an old easy chair

On a rotten old tug boat I′ll never repair

Steer away, steer away, steer away

And keep free of the shallows and make for the wide open sea

Steer away, steer away

From the rocks and the shoals

Where the sirens' sweet singing will shiver your soul

Steer away, steer away, steer away

And keep free of the shallows and make for the wide open sea

Steer away, steer away

From the rocks and the shoals

Where the sirens' sweet singing will shiver your soul