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The NIH Boat Song

Upon receiving the 2022 Chermside award, Rebecca Claycamp gave a few thoughts on being an effective research administrator. The last point she made was that "People should know that you enjoy what you do. You must have fun," and then she proceeded to belt the chorus of a parody of Harry Belafonte’s “Banana Boat” song that she had written. Here are the full lyrics. 

Pay-o, pay-ay-ay-o
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go
Pay-o, pay-ay-ay-o
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go

Work all day on the R01
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go
But the clinical trial is not yet done
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go

Come Mr. PO P50 or P20
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go
Shoveling the IACUCs and IRBs a-plenty
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go

Summary statement says cut year five
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go
But eRA’s connection is not alive
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go

Pay-o, pay-ay-ay-o
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go
Pay-o, pay-ay-ay-o
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go

The 424 will drive me mad
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go
Makes 398 forms look not so bad
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go

Come, Chief GMO, where is the payplan?
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go
We still under CR, we won’t get a payplan.
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go.

Grants six foot, seven foot, eight foot stack
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go
So many to pay I can’t keep track
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go

Hey, where’s that K, where’s that K, where’s that K-ay-o-one?
Payline’s drawn and the grants must go

Authored by Rebecca Claycamp, Independent Consultant in Research Administration