[Verse 1]
Heard, I heard an old man say
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!
Today, today is a holiday
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!

Heard, I heard the old man say
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!
We'll work tomorrow but not today
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!

[Chorus]
Tu-rai-ay, oh! Tu-rai-ay!
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!

[Verse 2]
We're outward bound at the break of day
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!
We're outward bound for Frisco Bay
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!

We're outward bound around Cape Horn
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!
Where you wish to God you'd never been born
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!
[Chorus]
Tu-rai-ay, oh! Tu-rai-ay!
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!

[Verse 3]
We're a yankee ship with a yankee crew
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!
And we're the boys to push her through
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!

We're a yankee ship with a yankee mate
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!
Don't stop to walk or he'll change your gait
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!

[Chorus]
Tu-rai-ay, oh! Tu-rai-ay!
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!

[Verse 4]
And when we get to Frisco Bay
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!
We'll pay off ship and draw our pay
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!

Oh, haul, oh haul, oh haul away
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!
Haul away and make our pay
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!
[Outro]
Tu-rai-ay, oh! Tu-rai-ay!
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!
Tu-rai-ay, oh! Tu-rai-ay!
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!
John Kanaka-naka, tu-rai-ay!