Messcranking Blues

Many exercised their creative talents during downtime on patrol by writing poetry or prose. Here's a spot to share yours.
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KellyJoeRay
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2005 6:06 pm
First Name: Kelly Joe
Last Name: Ray
Crew?: Blue
Which Years on Board: 1974-79
Special Crew?: Neither
Rate: MM
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Messcranking Blues

Post by KellyJoeRay »

I wrote this little song after my third tour of messcranking...I think I hold the Madison record for messcooks...I did 190 days of it...Which just goes to show you that you don't take three years to decide what you want to strike for...and you don't piss the Cobb off by getting him in trouble with the Skipper...My deal was over a beard...We had Midshipmen on board and the Skipper told the Cobb he did not want anyone with a beard Mess Cooking...Well Master Chief Fagan came down and ordered me to shave my beard...I was HOT...I had a chit signed by the CO to wear that beard and I was NOT going to give up without a fight...I was in the seaman gang at the time so I told the Weps about my chit and the Cobb's "Direct Order" as he put it...well next thing you know you can hear the Skipper shouting at the Cobb from his stateroom that He was the ONLY SOB on that Submarine who would be giving "Direct Orders"...He explained to the Cobb that he should take me off messcooking if I had a beard...and anyone else who had a beard...because he did not want the Midiots to find a hair in their food...LOL...I was on the Cobb's shit list from that day forward...Imagine that? I was his #1 Boy for two years...After this deal...Not so much...LOL...This is done in the traditional blues style and I don't remember all of it...but here is the gist of it...

MESSCRANKING BLUES

Oh Lordy I'm a messcrank...
I messcrank all day long...
Oh Lordy I'm a messcrank..
I'm up befo' dawn...
Oh Lordy I'm a messcrank...
And this is my song...

Well Fagan's my daddy...
Why'd he do this to me?
I slave in the galley...
I'm up befo' three...
Ain't no hope for no messcrank...
I don't get no liberty...

Oh Lordy I'm a messcrank...
I messcrank all day long...
Oh Lordy I'm a messcrank..
I'm up befo' dawn...
Oh Lordy I'm a messcrank...
And this is my song...

Well these pots pans and dishes...
Are getting to me...
All day in the scullery...
I long to be free...
But it's no use I'm a messcrank...
That's the way that it be...

Oh Lordy I'm a messcrank...
I messcrank all day long...
Oh Lordy I'm a messcrank..
I'm up befo' dawn...
Oh Lordy I'm a messcrank...
And this is my song...

I'm serving up gedunk...
and pouring ice tea...
With or without ice cream...
Are words that torture me...
Good God I'm a messcrank...
And it's such misery...

Oh Lordy I'm a messcrank...
I messcrank all day long...
Oh Lordy I'm a messcrank..
I'm up befo' dawn...
Oh Lordy I'm a messcrank...
And this is my song...
K.J. Ray MM1/SS Ret.
Blue Crew 1974-1979
rmbowen
Posts: 61
Joined: Wed Oct 25, 2006 7:25 pm
First Name: Roy
Last Name: Bowen
Crew?: Both
Which Years on Board: 1967-1971
Special Crew?: Neither
Rate: EM2(SS/DV)

Re: Messcranking Blues

Post by rmbowen »

KJ Ray,

Great Stuff, I WANT TO HEAR IT. Please bring your guitar to the next reunion!

Roy Bowen EM2(SS/DV)
R.M. Bowen EM2(SS/DV)
1967-1970 blue crew April 1970-1971 gold crew
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