O 'twas in the broad Atlantic,
'Mid the equinoctial gales,
That a young fellow fell over board
Among the sharks and whales.
And down he went like a streak of light,
So quickly down went he,
Until he came to a mer-ma-id
At the bottom of the deep blue sea.


(Chorus)
Singing Rule Britannia,
Britannia rule the waves!
Britons never, never, never shall be
Marri-ed to a mer-ma-id
At the bottom of the deep blue sea.

She raised herself on her beautiful tail,
And gave him her soft white hand,
I've long been waiting for you, my dear,
Now welcome safe to land.
Go back to your mess-mates for the last time
And tell them all from me,
That you're mar-ri-ed to a mer-ma-id
At the bottom of the deep blue sea.

We sent a boat to look for him
Expecting to find a corpse,
When he came up with a bang and a shout
And a voice sepulchrally hoarse:
"My comrades and my mess-mates,
O do not look for me,
For I'm mar-ri-ed to a mer-ma-id
At the bottom of the deep blue sea."

The anchor was weighed and the sails unfurled,
And the ship was sailing free,
Went we went up to our cap-i-tain
And our tale we told to he.
The captain went to the old ship's side,
And out loud bellowed he,
"Be as happy as you can with your wife, my man,
At the bottom of the deep blue sea."


abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Singing Together, Spring 1985, BBC Publications

Notes:
'Mermaid' and 'married' are pronounced as 'Murm-eye-id' and 'Mar-eye-id' in the version I know.

Roud: 9143 (Search Roud index at VWML)
Laws:
Child: