I can well recall the first time I ever put to sea 
It was on the old 'Calcutta' in 1853 
I was just a lad of fourteen years, a midshipman to be 
To make my way in sailing ships of the Royal Navy 

By the time that I was twenty-one I'd sailed the world around 
Weathered storms in the China seas with the hatches battened down 
And made my way by starlight off the coast of Newfoundland 
And dined on beer and herrings while the waves blew all around 

I live in retirement now 
And through my window comes the sound of seagulls 
And sets my mind remembering 
The evening stars like memories sail far beyond the distant trees 
Way out across the open seas 
I hear them sing 

Oh the wooden ships they turned to iron and the iron ships to steel 
And shed their sails like autumn leaves with the turning of the wheel 
And I was given captain's rank and soon took under me 
The proudest ship that ever sailed for queen and country 

Ah, the old queen she passed away with the new born century 
And I received my calling up to the admiralty 
The sands ran through the hourglass each day more rapidly 
As we watched the growing of the fleets of High Germany 

So at last the Great War blazed 
I waited with the passing days 
The call to arms that never came 
Writing letters 

I may be old now in your eyes 
But all my years have made me wise 
You don't see where the danger lies 
Oh call me back, call me back... 

But the war it ran its course, they could find no use for me 
And I live in the country now, grandchildren on my knee 
And sometimes think in all this world the saddest thing to be 
Old admirals who feel the wind, and never put to sea 

Now just like you I've sailed my dreams like ships across the sea 
And some of them they've come on rocks, and some faced mutiny 
And when they're sunken one by one I'll join that company 
Old admirals who feel the wind, and never put to sea