Sky Hooks And Tartan Paint

Sky Hooks and Tartan Paint - Sting/Brian Johnson

Me first day in the shipyard the gaffer says to me

"I want ye to go to the store lad and get a few things ye see

Now here's a list can ye read lad Can ye read it back to me

And me and the boys'll listen while were having wah morning tea "

Now reading was me pride when I left school at fourteen

There wouldn't be no problem here I'd show them I was keen

But when I starts to reading they just couldn't hold their mirth

Hugging themselves and spluttering like they was giving birth

"First off a brace of sky hooks and a packet of nail holes neat

And then three cans of tartan paint and that's me task complete "

The gaffer pats me on the head and sends me on me way

He says "Don't come back empty handed lad or I'll have to dock yr pay "

So I gets to the store all nervous and the quartermaster's there

I pulls the list out of me pocket and I starts to read all square

Well I hadn't barely finished when the store-man's face turns red

He gives me such an evil look I thought I'd soon be dead

"First off a brace of sky hooks and a packet of nail holes neat

And then three cans of tartan paint and that's me task complete "

The store-man swipes me on the head and sends me on me way

With a kick in the arse for me efforts and such was my first day

I gets back home that evening and me mother says to me

"How was it son How was your day Sit down and have some tea "

I told her of the list I'd read and the trouble I was in

I couldn't go back tomorrow or the gaffer'd have me skinned

"First off a brace of sky hooks and a packet of nail holes neat

And then three cans of tartan paint and that's me task complete "

Me mother swipes me on the head and sends me on me way

With a kick in the arse for me efforts and such was my first day

With a kick in the arse for me efforts and such was my first day