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!