The toast lends itself to a symbolic interpretation, with the Titanic representing the United States, where the Black is denied first-class passage and relegated to menial positions. Now that the ship is sinking (i.e., the country is foundering, languishing), he is implored to help. But Shine rejects the pleas, rejecting at the same time its status symbols -- so long withheld from him -- white women and money.
Say the twelfth of May1 was one hell of a day.
When the news got around the seaport town
That the great Titanic had settled down.
Step the Black man below the ship
They called Shine; hollered
"Captain, Captain, don't you know,
Why there's forty feet o' water on the boiler room flo'!''
The Captain say, ''Git back, you dirty Black!
We got twenty-five pumps to keep this water back.''
So Shine came on board, jumped over, waved his Black ass and begin to swim,
With a thousand millionaires lookin' at him.
So the Captain's wife stepped on board.
Say, ''Shine, Shine, please save poor me,
I give you all the pussy you can see."'
Shine said, "I got pussy on land, I got pussy on sea,
l got twenty-five motherfuckers in New York just waitin' on me.''
So the Captain's daughter stepped on board,
She say, ''Shine, Shine, please save poor me;
I'll name this kid after thee.''
Shine say, ''Bitch, you went and got knocked up, that's fine,
But you got to hit this water just like old Shine.''
So the Captain stepped aboard,
He say, (pompous voice) ''Shine, Shine, please save poor me,
I'll make you richer than any Shine could be.''
Shine say, "To make me rich would be very fine,
But first I have to save this black ass o' mine.''
Shine say, "Sharks, look out, l know some o' this black ass you'd like to taste,
But from here to New York's gon' be one hell o' a race.''
So the news got around the seaport town,
That the Titanic had sank down.
Shine was in Harlem on Thirty-Fifth Street
Damn near drunk, fucked his twenty-five bitches,
And his dick got sore; went to the doctor.
The doctor say, "Shine, I gon' have to cut your dick off.''
Shine say, ''lf you cut it off, you better cut it down to the motherfuckin' bone,
'Cause if you leave any kind o' meat. I'm gon' fuck right on.''
He say, "If I should die, soak my balls in alcohol;
And lay my dick on my chest,
Then tell all them cocksuckin' whores
Old Shine's gone to rest.''
Shine died -- went to hell.
The Devil said, "All you bitches, you better clamb (climb) the motherfuckin' wall,
'Cause Shine gon' come back down here and fuck us all!"
