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This is a rewrite of the lyrics to the Bellamy Brothers’ song Old Hippie by my good friend and shipmate David McAllister.

Old Sailor

By:  David “Mac” McAllister

 

(Song sung to the tune of the Bellamy Bros. Old Hippie)

 

He turned sixty-five last Sunday

Now his hair has turned to Gray

He sailed with the U.S. Navy

Away Back in the old days

Now he tends a little garden in the backyard by the fence

Consuming beer and whiskey nowadays in self defense

He gets out there in the twilight zone

When the bullshit makes no sense

 

He hangs out with his old shipmates

Cause the new Navy leaves him cold

Nothin’ looks the same to him

I guess he’s just too fuckin’ old

So he dreams at night of WestPac, and all the things he tried

How the liberty made him happy while the sea time got him dry

Yeah, he thinks about it a lot these days

And he’s not afraid to cry

 

He’s an old sailor and he don’t know what to do

He hangs onto the old

Cause he just can’t hack the new

He’s and old sailor…still living by his wit

He don’t wanna offend nobody

But if he does, he don’t give a shit

 

He remembers in the sixties, while everyone else was hip,

He was shootin’ up Vietnam, from some ol’ rusty ship

Learning to become a man while he was still a boy

In spite of all the tragedies, he can still find some joy

While others cut and run to hide

He chose to serve with pride

 

He’s an old sailor and he don’t know what to do

He hangs onto the old

Cause he just can’t hack the new

He’s and old sailor…still living by his wit

He don’t wanna offend nobody

But if he does, he don’t give a shit

 

You can find him at the VFW, or the American Legion Halls

He’ll be thinkin’ while he’s drinkin’

Of the days when sailors had some balls

Now it’s breathalyzers, PC, diversity and gays

It ain’t no friggin’ wonder that he’s stuck in his old ways

All he can do is sit and watch

As his species fades away

 

He’s an old sailor and he don’t know what to do

He hangs onto the old

Cause he just can’t hack the new

He’s and old sailor…still living by his wit

He don’t wanna offend nobody

But if he does, he don’t give a shit

 

David “Mac” McAllister a native of California, now resides in the Ozark Mountains of Southwest Mo. Having served in Asia for the majority of his 24 year Navy career, he now divides his time as an over the road trucker, volunteer for local veteran repatriation events and as an Asia Sailor Westpac’rs Association board member and reunion coordinator. In his spare time he enjoys writing about his experiences in Westpac and sharing them online with his Shipmates.