Sailor Boy

Cat. #0363 (MFH #682) - As sung by Harrison Burnett, Fayetteville, Arkansas on June 15, 1959

VERSE 1
A sailors life is a dreary life
It draws fair maidens with their hearts delight
It causes them for t' weep and to mourn
Th sake of a true love that'll never return
It causes them for t' weep and to mourn
Th sake of a true love that'll never return

VERSE 2
O, hit's dark is th color of my true loves hair
His cheeks is of a lily fair
And on his breast, he wears a star
None can I love but my sweet sailor boy
And on his breast, he wears a star
None can I love but my sweet sailor boy

VERSE 3
O Father, O Father, go build me a boat
Out on this ocean I will float
And every ship that I pass by
There I will inquire of my sweet sailor boy
And every ship that I pass by
There I will inquire of my sweet sailor boy

VERSE 4
Out on this ocean, she did float
There she passed about five boats
She hailed th captain as he sailed by
And of him, she inquired of her sweet sailor boy
She hailed th captain, as he sailed by
And of him, she inquired of her sweet sailor boy

VERSE 5
O, no my dear, he is not here
He's been dead five months or more
Near rocky island, as we sailed by
There we had to leave your sweet sailor boy
Near rocky island, as we sailed by
There we had to leave your sweet sailor boy

VERSE 6
She pulled her boat upon a rock
Just like a lady with her heart most broke
She wrung her hands and tore her hair
Just like a lady in deep despair
She wrung her hands and tore her hair
Just like a lady in deep despair

VERSE 7
Go an' get me a chair, to set upon
A pen and ink to write a song
At the end of ever line, she dropped a tear
At the end of ever verse, cries, O my dear
At the end of ever line, she dropped a tear
At the end of ever verse, cries, O my dear

VERSE 8
Go and dig my grave both wide and deep
Place marbles at my head and feet
And on my breast, a snow white dove
To show to this world that I died for love
And on my breast, a snow white dove
To show to this world that I died for love

Variants