dreamin' as I'm steamin'
w/the waves of heat
ripplin' offf of my back
vapor lock clock stopped
time hangs limp for the rememberin' dream
in the engine room, hey - oh!
can we do it? "hell, surely" winks fireman hurley
as he slips from his shelf
"hey, you earned your rate, machinist mate
you're the left-hand man of the boilerman"
in the engine room, hey - oh!
in the engine room, hey - oh!
a voice from the tube says the boat's gotta move
can we do it? "we can do it!"
where the only wind blowin'
is from the limbs that we're throwin'
in the rhythm that we're hymnin'
syncopatin'
in the engine room, hey - oh!
in the engine room, hey - oh!
and if we get the heave-ho
keep her steady as she goes
and come on down into the engine room, hey - oh!
eyes dialed on the meters
fingers handling the levers
seems we're man-machine men
but what seems like just ain't right
in fact we're conducting our own symphony
improvising
in the engine room, hey - oh!
in the engine room, hey - oh!
and when it feels smooth in the engine room
you know she's running true
in the engine room, hey - oh!
and to the troops in the trench
let me let you use my wrench
and come on down into the engine room, hey - oh!
deny us, you can hide us
pretend we're not there, we don't care
tough
cuz if the feel feels real
then we'll take it on the chin
but we're taking no guff!
no way, not
in the engine room, hey - oh!
in the engine room, hey - oh!
and if I get the heave-ho
keep her steady as she goes
keep her steady as she goes
steady as she goes