The 38th's been in New Guinea too long,
We're thirsty as hell for a drink.
For the want of a woman we're all going nuts,
O Shanty, please say what you think.
Now there's snakes in the jungle and bugs in our bed,
Mosquitoes have seven-inch prongs.
The rain falls in buckets, muds up to our ass,
O Shanty, we've been here too long.
We've been over Buna, we've been over Lae,
And we've been out to sea after ships.
We've been over Wewak and Vunakanau.
Oh Shanty, it gives us the shits!
The aeroplanes they stink and the pilots all drink,
And the "naveys" don't know where we are.
The bombardiers can't hit a target when lit.
O Shanty, please send us afar.
Now Shanty's our leader he's Irish they say,
He's as Irish as a banshee's wail.
But take it from us, the truth of it's just,
He's half Scotch and half Ginger Ale.