Praising the might of the British navy and its men, it was first performed in 1897 by singer Arthur Reece, and revived after the sinking of the cruiser HMS Gladiator in 1908.
A parody known as "Bobbing Up and Down Like This" — with those words interposed with the original lyrics — became popular at Boy Scout camps and elsewhere.
It is also the chosen song/anthem for the Highridge Utd Football Club in Bristol, and has been known to be sung at Gloucestershire cricket games by supporters.
There is a very strong similarity to a 1914 Navy song called "Sons of the Sea" sung by Robert Howe.
There is also an art-song called "Sons of the Sea", lyrics by Sarojini Naidu, music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1910) of which there is a famous recording by Peter Dawson.