There's a fella waitin' in Poughkeepsie
And he's just as sweet as sweet can be
He hasn't even been tipsy
Since I left him and took to the sea

There's another, waitin' in Pomona
With the cutest dimple in his chin
And there's a guy in Daytona
Who just waits for my ship to come in

I miss 'em, honor bright
I write 'em, every night
But if you held my hand
I suppose they would all understand

Oh, you mustn't think I'm just a gypsy
But I really oughta set you right
There's a fella waitin' in Poughkeepsie
But I'm strictly on my own tonight

There's a wave who's waitin' in Biloxi
Says she's gonna marry me or bust
We're bein' married by proxy
When I find me a wolf I can trust

There's a spar who's waitin' in Waukegan
Who is really different from the rest
I think her last name is Reagan
That's the name that's tattooed on my chest
A WAC in Hackensack
A WAC from Pontiac
I got a few, here and there
What the heck, chicks are chicks everywhere

Some of them are kinda bobby-soxxy
But it may be quite a lengthy flight
There's a wave who's waitin' in Biloxi
But I'm strictly on my own tonight

There's a sweetheart in Poughkeepsie
Just as sweet as sweet can be, you see
He hasn't even been tipsy
Since I left him and took to the sea

Oh, you mustn't think we're gypsies
But we really oughta set you right (well, tell it tonight)
There's a fella and a gal waitin' in Poughkeepsie
But I'm strictly on my own
Yes, I'm strictly on my own
Oh, we're strictly on our own tonight