Meaning of Good Ship Venus (Friggin’ In the Riggin’)

Attention! An article about a very indecent song of English sailors. If you have not reached the age of majority or have a fine mental organization, do not even read the translation of the text.

Drinking songs are a popular genre in many countries. Since they are performed in drunken companies, many of these compositions are extremely obscene.

On the ships of the British (and any other) fleet at all times no one would be embarrassed by a strong word, so their songs were especially obscene. A striking example of this is the famous Good Ship Venus, which, thanks to The Sex Pistols, is better known as Friggin’ In the Riggin’.

The story behind of Good Ship Venus

Neither the author of the song nor even the approximate date of its composition is known. Perhaps Good Ship Venus is based on a true story that took place in the early nineteenth century. Its main character was the Englishwoman Charlotte Badger. For petty theft, she was imprisoned for several years, and then exiled to Australia. There she, along with her daughter and friend, got a job on board the ship The Venus as a servant.

Further events are described in different ways. It is known that Charlotte became a participant (or even organizer) of a riot of sailors who seized the ship and sailed to the northern part of New Zealand. There they either traded in piracy, or lived peacefully in the Maori village. How Charlotte ended her days, history is silent, but many consider her the first Australian female pirate.

The text of Good Ship Venus has many variations, and many of them mention a woman of easy virtue named Charlotte. Even if the song was not originally dedicated to her, it is likely that many sailors subsequently sang obscene verses with thoughts of Miss Badger.

Meaning of Good Ship Venus

What is the composition about? Concerned sailors, who rarely manage to be with women during long voyages, are constantly engaged in self-gratification, enter into a relationship with each other, dream of normal sex, drink and hate their bosses.

Oscar Brand recorded Good Ship Venus in 1952, but the most famous version of the song was performed by the punk band The Sex Pistols. Titled Friggin’ In the Riggin’, the track was included on the Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle (1979) album. It was released as a single (double A, second song – Something Else), which rose to number three on the UK Singles Chart.

Covers for The Sex Pistols song are played by various bands: Anthrax (with changed lyrics), Showcase Showdown and others. Serbian rock musician Tony Montano sings Friggin’ In the Riggin’ in Serbian (Frigidna je bila).

Let’s listen to the Anthrax version.

Interesting Facts

  • Nelson Brewery sells Friggin’ In the Riggin’ brand beer.
  • More than one and a half hundred verses of the song are known in its various variations. They have much more obscene lines than Friggin’ In the Riggin’, which was sung by The Sex Pistols.
  • Since the middle of the eighteenth century, five ships of the Royal Navy of Great Britain have been called Venus.

Friggin’ In The Riggin’ Lyrics by Sex Pistols

Ahoy! Scurvies! Listen to this then!

It was on the good ship Venus
By Christ, I shoulda seen us
The figurehead was a who** in bed
And the mast, a mammoth penis
The Captain of this lugger
He was a dirty bugger
He wasn’t fit to shovel shit
From one place to another

chorus:
Friggin’ in the riggin’
Friggin’ in the riggin’
Friggin’ in the riggin’
There was f*** everything else to do

Captain’s name was Morgan
By Christ, he was a gorgon
Ten times a day sweet tunes he’d play
With his f***in’ organ
The first mate’s name was Cooper
By Christ, he was a trooper
He jerked and jerked until he worked
Himself into a stupor

The second mate was Andy
By Christ, he had a dandy
Till they crushed his co** on a jagged rock
For cumming in the brandy
The cabin boy was Flipper
He was a f***in’ nipper
He stuffed his ass with broken glass
And circumcised the skipper

The Captain’s wife was Mabel
To f***, she wasn’t able
So the dirty shi**, they nailed her ti**
Across the barroom table
The Captain had a daughter
Who fell in deep sea water
And by her squeals we knew the eels
Had found her sexual quarters

Lyrics of Friggin’ In The Riggin’ by Sex Pistols Alternate

Hey on board! Scurvy! Hear it!

It was on a good ship “Venus”
By God, you should have seen us
The figurehead was a who** in bed
And the mast – mammoth horseradish
The captain of this lugger
Was a f***ing asshole
He wasn’t even fit to take shit
From one place to another

Chorus:
Jerking off on gear
Jerking off on gear
Jerking off on gear
What else was there to do

The captain’s name was Morgan
By God, he was a freak
Ten times a day he played sweet tunes
On your f***ing organ
The first mate’s name was Cooper,
By God, he was tireless
I masturbated everything until I drove it
Himself in a complete stupor

Second mate was Andy,
By God, he was a dandy
Until his dick was broken on a sharp stone
Because he came in brandy
The cabin boy was Flipper
He was a smart boy
Stuffed my ass with broken glass
And did circumcision to the skipper

The captain’s wife was Mabel
She didn’t shine in bed.
And those dirty bastards nailed her boobs
To the table at the bar
The captain had a daughter
She fell into the deep sea
And by her cries we realized that eels
Found her private parts

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