Adventure Magazine Cover, November 10, 1924 — page 78: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

76 Adventure oe Where the hammers beat a syncopated tune? 1 Can’t they make a chanty loud of the common workin’-crowd ect That is bangin’ on the plates and on the keel? ore Say, it oughta be sublime if they’d make a song to rime ( > t With the yammer of the hammer on the steel! “Oh the yam-yam-yammer And the clam-clam-clamor Of the old air-hammer Is a song that’s real; As we jam-jam-jam her And we slam-slam-slam her On the red-hot rivets in the plates and keel. So I’m sing-sing-singing Of the ring-ring-ringing Of the ham-ham-hammer on the steel, steel, steel, There’s a glam-glam-glamour To the yam-yam-yammer Of the ham-ham-hammer on the steell “As we labor in the yard we’re a gang that’s rough and hard, But we got a kind of vision just the same; For we're buildin’ ships to sail on the open ocean trail And we build ’em strong and sturdy, hull and frame. So I makes my little song just to pass the word along And to tell the poet fellers how we feel: That there’s music loud and clear if they'll only stop to hear, In the yammer of the hammer on the steel!”’ The singer filled his lungs and then began The second chorus. Promptly every man Joined with him, and the Hot Dog Tavern trembled With thunder of the voices thus assembled; They roared it thrice and then they shouted “More!” They stamped its rhythm on the sawdust floor. When finally the roar of voices died, ‘““You’ve sung of buildin’ ships,” a sailor cried, ““An’ sung about it with a lot o’ pride; Me, I don’t blame you—it’s a bully job For any feller in the workin’ mob To have a hand in makin’ ships to sail Over the ocean, battlin’ with the gale From port to port, an’ carryin’ their load Of food an’ coal an’ folks upon the road Acrost the seas. You build ’em tight an’ stout But when it comes the time to send ’em out To open sea—well, then our labor starts. Us sailor men, an’ in our rovin’ hearts There’s somethin’ sort of sings to feel once more The smooth decks heavin’ as we leave the shore; The engines throbbin’ an’ the keen, salt breeze Bringing its message from the seven seas. What if we kicks an’ grumbles, just the same The sea’s the Sea, a hard an’ cruel dame That takes you to her bosom with a grip, That, once she holds you, never more shall slip; CoMmicboool (© 5} Wh)