Captain Robert took his men
And flew to Prague and back again
Some fell off, some dropped dead

And some put bullets through their head

A skeleton crew is what came back

And once in port he filled his sack
With bribes in cash and foreign coin
Things to make a new crew join


Captain Robert took his crew
To Shangri-la and Timbuktu

Some went crazy, some got mad
Some they kicked off ship in Chad


A skeleton crew is what came back
Who lived through mutiny, plague and flak
Strong and calloused, brave and tired

All those who could stay inspired

Captain Robert took his ship

To Beijing and to Mozambique
Stir-crazy all in irons he clapped them


One of them tried to kiss the captain

Captain Robert looked at his crew

And saw that everyone was new
The crew got broke through misadventure
No-one could take another gut-wrencher


A skeleton crew is what came back
Who lived through mutiny, plague and flak

Strong and calloused, brave and tired
All those who could stay inspired


A skeleton crew is what came back
And once in port he filled his sack
With bribes in cash and foreign coin

Things to make a new crew join

Captain Robert took his crew

To Shangri-la and Timbuktu
Some went crazy, some got mad
Some they kicked off ship in Chad