We’ll be Damned
From Perranporth we men went sailing
To the ends of the earth
For the Cornish mines were failing
Hard rock men, they knew their worth.
We’ll be damned if we do, we’ll be damned if we don’t
And we’ll take her round the horn and be damned if we don’t.
It’s a long long way for to sail from Perran,
But there’s gold underground in California to be found.
We’ll be damned if we do, we’ll be damned if we don’t
And we’ll sail her down to Oz, and be damned if we don’t.
It’s a long long way for to sail from Perran
But there’s copper underground in Australia to be found.
Chorus ( slower )
We’ll sail to the east and we’ll sail to the west
Wherever there is mining Cornish lads do it best.
We’ll be damned if we do, we’ll be damned if we don’t
And we’ll cross the broad Atlantic and be damned if we don’t.
It’s a long long way for to sail from Perran,
But there’s iron underground in Minnesota to be found.
We’ll be damned if we do, we’ll be damned if we don’t
We’ll meet our fate on the equator and be damned if we don’t.
It’s a long long way for to sail from Perran,
But there’s gold underground in the Gold Coast to be found.
Chorus : ( slower )
We’ll sail to the east and we’ll sail to the west
Wherever there is mining Cornish lads do it best
We’ll be damned if we do, we’ll be damned if we don’t
We’ll sail up the wide St. Lawrence and be damned if we don’t
It’s a long long way for to sail from Perran,
But there’s lead down underground in Winconsin to be found
We’ll be damned if we do, we’ll be damned if we don’t
And we’ll brave the Southern Ocean and be damned if we don’t
It’s a long long way for to sail from Perran
But there’s tin down underground in Chile to be found
Chorus : ( slower )
We’ll sail to the east and we’ll sail to the west
Wherever there is mining Cornish lads do it best
We’ll be damned if we do, we’ll be damned if we don’t
And we’ll take her round the horn and be damned if we don’t.
It’s a long long way for to sail from Perran
But there’s silver underground in Mexico to be found.
We’ll be damned if we do, we’ll be damned if we don’t
And we’ll take her to the Cape and be damned if we don’t.
It’s a long long way for to sail from Perran,
But there’s diamonds underground in the Transvaal to be found.
They had to go, they couldn’t stay
For in mining that’s the way
For in Perranzabulae
No more work, they had to go
Budnic Ramoth, Perran St. Gearge
All their men are gone abroad.
We’ll be damned if we do, we’ll be damned if we don’t
And she’ll take us home to Perran, we’ll be damned if she don’t.
It’s a long long way but we’ll sail back home to Cornwall
Where there’s more ore, to be found there underground.
Nigel Hallworth 2010
