It don’t matter if the cold wind blows
I’m gonna wind up working in the thick of it
sunshine through the rain and snow
there’s an oily brine bilge water baptism waiting below

that’s just the waves slamming against the topsides’ sound
don’t let the ever rolling motion go and get you down
don’t let it shake your steady thread cutting hand
keep stealing ribbons from the steel and giving [bad word] 
to every halyard you can

in spite of all the wherewithal 
to fight it all I will face it all
in spite of all the wherewithal 
to fight it all I’ll embrace it all

when everyday’s like a war between the will to go on
and a wish that the world would spiral into the sun
turn your head toward the storm that’s [bad word] along

if the sun was always shining and our load always light
we’d be shaking like a leaf with every God given night
and we’d break under the weight of any pressure
that was ever applied

will you be ready when the straw boss calls?
he’s got an ever loving bone to pick with one and all
don’t let his condescension get you down
just have the strength to know you’re wrong 
and when you’re right the strength to stand your ground

in spite of all the wherewithal 
to fight it all I will face it all
in spite of all the wherewithal 
to fight it all I’ll embrace it all

when everyday is like a war
you find no strength from your usual source
there’s no peace, there’s no rest
your fortitude is feeling put to the test
when everyday is like a war between the will to go on 
and a wish that the world would spiral into the sun
turn your head toward the storm that’s [bad word] along

if the sun was always shining and our load always light
we’d be shaking like a leaf with every God given night
and we’d break under the weight 
of any pain that ever came in this life