As I was a-walking one morning by chance,
I heard a maid making her moan.
I asked why she sighed and she sadly replied,
"Alas I must live all alone, alone,
Alis! I must live all alone!"

I said, "My fair maid, pray whence have you strayed?
And are you some distance from home?"
"My home," replied she, "is a burden to me,
For there I must live all alone, alone,
For there I must live all alone!"

"When I was eleven I had sweethearts seven,
And then I would look upon none;
But now all in vain I must sigh and complain,
For my true love has left me alone, alone,
For my true love has left me alone!"

"Oh! Come back from sea, my dear Johnny to me,
And make me a bride of your own!
Or else for your sake my poor heart it will break,
And here I will die all alone, alone,
And here I shall die all alone."


abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Jones, Lewis, 1998, Miss Broadwood's Delight ,Ferret Publ., Sutton Coldfield

Notes:
Lewis Jones wrote:

An interesting instance [of whether the words were accurate] is the case of "I Must Live All Alone", which in its original form was clearly too saucy for an Edwardian audience. In her notes, Lucy Broadwood claimed that "Verse 1, 2 and 3, here given, are essentially the same as the first three of the five verses sung." But in fact they are not. What Henry Burstow actually wrote down and sung as his first verse was this:

As I was a-walking one morning by chance
I heard a made making her moan,
I asked what was the matter, she said in a flutter,
I am obliged to lie tumbling alone, alone,
I am obliged to lie tumbling alone".

Roud: 1059 (Search Roud index at VWML)
Laws:
Child:

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Related Songs:  As I Was A-Walking (thematic)