One Friday morn when we set sail
And our ship not far from land,
We there did espy a fair pretty maid,
With a comb and a glass in her hand, her hand, her hand,
With a comb and a glass in her hand.

Chorus:
While the raging seas did roar,
And the stormy winds did blow,
And we jolly sailor boys were up, up aloft,
And the land lubbers lying down below, below, below.

Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship,
Who at once did our peril see,
'I have married a wife in fair London town,
And this night she a widow will be, will be, will be,
And this night she a widow will be.'

And then up spoke the little cabin boy,
And a fair hair'd boy was he;
'I've a father and mother in fair Portsmouth town,
And this night they will weep for me, for me, for me,
And this night they will weep for me.'

Then three times round went our gallant ship.
And three times round went she;
For the want of a lifeboat they both went down,
As she sunk to the bottom of the sea, the sea, the sea,
As she sunk to the bottom of the sea.


abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Singing Together, Summer 1974, BBC Publications

Notes:
Identified as English

Roud: 124 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws:
Child: 289