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BLAME IT ON THE RIGGING
(With apologies to The Jackson 5)

Our coach is always faffing
And that can be a bad thing
He’s constantly adjusting
And that’s no lie
He whips out with great vigour
Pitch gauge and rigger jigger,
When our back’s turned
He adjusts on the sly

Don’t blame it on the fitness
Don’t blame it on the steering
Don’t blame it on the crosswinds
Blame it on the rigging
Don’t blame it on the timing
Don’t blame it on the technique
Don’t blame it on the athletes
Blame it on the rigging

The catch is like a car crash
I’m drowning in the back-splash
The height must need a rehash
An inch or ten
Our coach is smiling sweetly
He’s changed our stroke completely
And now the handles
Finish at our chins

Don’t blame it on the fitness
Don’t blame it on the steering
Don’t blame it on the crosswinds
Blame it on the rigging
Don’t you blame it on the timing
Don’t blame it on the technique
Don’t blame it on the athletes
Blame it on the rigging, ooh

We just can’t
We just can’t
We just can’t control our blades
We just can’t
We just can’t (yeah)
We just can’t control our blades
We just can’t
We just can’t
We just can’t control our blades
We just can’t
We just can’t
We just can’t control our blades

Fitness
Don’t blame it on the steering
Don’t blame it on the crosswinds
Blame it on the rigging
Don’t blame it on the fitness
Don’t blame it on the steering
Don’t - on crosswinds
Blame it on the rigging

Last week we caught him screwing
We asked what he was doing
He said he had to tighten
Up his nuts
He stood back from the rigger
The span now was much bigger
He’d modified the gate now
It won’t shut

Don’t blame it on the fitness
Don’t blame it on the steering
Don’t blame it on the crosswinds
Blame it on the rigging
Don’t blame it on the timing
Don’t blame it on the technique
Don’t blame it on the athletes
Blame it on the rigging (aw)

Fitness (adequate)
Steering (average)
Crosswinds (northerly)
Rigging
You just got to..
Timing (cuckoo clock)
Technique (of a dog)
Athletes (why are you laughing)
Rigging

Don't you blame it (fitness)
Move your foot now (steering)
Can’t you feel it (crosswinds)
Yeah... Oh (rigging)
Blame it on yourself (timing)
Must be your fault (technique)
Or is it that rigging (athletes)
All, all row long (rigging)

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