Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat

By Frank Loesser
1950

With all the recent hullabaloo over the Frank Loesser song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (whose entry you can find here), I thought today I'd spotlight a different Loesser tune, this time from his masterpiece musical, Guys and Dolls. Introduced by the irrepressible Stubby Kaye in the original run of the stage show as well as the 1955 movie, it's a spirited and catchy number that epitomizes the spirit of that classic show. As recently as 1993, this song also charted when recorded in a slowed-down version by ex-Eagle Don Henley, for the soundtrack of the Steve Martin film Leap of Faith.

Lyrics:

I dreamed last night I got on the boat to heaven
And by some chance I had brought my dice along
And there I stood, and I hollered, "Someone fade me"
But the passengers they knew right from wrong

For the people all said
"Sit down, sit down you're rockin' the boat"
The people all said
"Sit down, sit down you're rockin' the boat
And the devil will drag you under
By the sharp lapel of your checkered coat
Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down
Sit down you're rocking the boat"

I sailed away on that little boat to heaven
And by some chance found a bottle in my fist
And there I stood nicely passin' 'round the whiskey
But the passengers were bound to resist

For the people all said
"Beware you're on a heavenly trip"
The people all said
"Beware, beware you'll scuttle the ship
And the devil will drag you under
By the fancy tie 'round your wicked throat
Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down
Sit down you're rockin' the boat"

And as I laughed at those passengers to heaven
A great big wave came and washed me overboard
And as I sank, and I hollered, "Someone save me"
That's the moment I woke up, thank the Lord

And I said to myself
"Sit down, sit down you're rocking the boat"
Said to myself
"Sit down, sit down you're rocking the boat
For the devil will drag you under
With a soul so heavy you'd never float
Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down
Sit down you're rockin' the boat"

Recorded By:

Sammy Davis Jr.
Louis Armstrong
Don Henley
The Four Lads
Rebecca Kilgore & Dave Frishberg