This Obsession © Tony Haynes 2003 Kindly contributed by Tony Haynes who states that it was written for a gig at Southampton Canal Society. Chorus They ripple o'er the puddle And weave their wandering way In narrowboats and cruisers Along our waterways What is this obsession For crawling down a ditch? Are these the new age boaters? The idle and the rich? They're young folks and they're old folks They're loaded and they're poor They're innocent and guilty But they all come back for more What is this obsession For living in a boat Who wants to squeeze a lifetime Into a tube that floats? They come from all and sundry Retarded and retired The wise and disillusioned The mogul and the fired Perhaps it is the posing With black peaked skipper's hat on Whilst struggling with a windlass Up Tardebigge or Hatton Perhaps it's tiller fever Or the smokey diesel thud The sunshine on the water..... .....Or the ice and snow and mud Repeat verse one