A sailor’s lifeit is a merry life.
He robs young girls of their hearts’ delight
Leaving them behind to weep and mourn
They never know when they will return.
Wellthere’s four and twenty all in a row
My true love he makes the finest show.
He’s proper tallgenteel and all
And if I don’t have himI’ll have none at all.
Oh fatherbuild for me a bonny boat
That on the wide ocean I may float
And every queen’s ship that we pass by
There I’ll enquire for my sailor boy
They had not sailed long on the deep
When a queen’s ship they chanced to meet.
«you sailors allpray tell me true
Does my sweet william sail among your crew? ’’
«oh nofair maidenhe is not here
For he’s been drownded we greatly fear
On yon green island as we passed it by
There we lost sight of your sailor boy.’’
Wellshe wrung her hands and she tore her hair.
She was like a young girl in great despair.
And her little boat against a rock did run.
’’how can I live now my sweet william is gone? ’’