In the Engine Room - Mike Watt

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