The Lovely Sailor Boy
When the press gang was abroad many a young maiden lost her Willy to the sea.
It was early, early all in the Spring
When my love Willy went to serve the king,
The night blew dark, the wind blew high
That parted me from my sailor boy.
Oh, father, father bring me a boat
Out on the ocean that I may float
And there's not a ship that I'll pass by
But I'll inquire for my sailor boy.
She had not sailed but a day or two
When she fell in with a bloody crew,
Saying "Captain, Captain, tell me true
Does my love Willy sail aboard with you?"
"What sort is he your Willy dear?
And what's the suit that he does wear?"
"He wears a suit of the navy blue,
You'll know him surely for his heart so true."
"But every sailor wears the blue
And every sailor's heart is true,
So tell me maiden, fair and kind,
More of this man that you would find."
"He's tall and handsome, brave and free
And on his cheek for all to see
A dimple comes all with his smile
A maiden's heart all to beguile."
"My dearest creature he is not here
For he is drowned,I greatly fear,
On yon green isle as we passed by
We gently laid your sailor boy."
She wrung her hands and tore her hair,
And sobbed and sighed in her dispair,
Her boat upon the rocks she ran
And would not live without her man.
Ten seamen, dress them all in black,
Ten Captains 'rayed in cloth of sack,
Ten cabin boys on mainmast high
To mourn me and my sailor boy.
I'll sit me down and I'll make a song,
I'll write it large and I'll write it long,
With every word I'll shed a tear
And every line will be Willy Dear