There’s mates that you hang with,
Your main mate you bang with.
With school mates you learn,
And shipmates who burn.
A mate is a mate is a mate.
When you mate it’s for life.
Be she trouble ’n’ strife,
Both happy or sad,
The good with the bad.
A mate is a mate is a mate.
A cobber or Marine,
Or somewhere in between,
A rod or a reed,
Whatever you need,
A mate is a mate is a mate.
You see them every day,
Or spend five years away,
A mate knows the date,
Come early or late.
A mate is a mate is a mate.
They’ve always got your back
In defence or attack.
You can always depend
On a mate at the end.
Cos a mate is a mate is a mate!