There Lies a Ship
There Lies A Ship
This song was collected from William Brown of Cheriton
A girl loves a young man, but her father dislikes him and sends him away on a ship so they cannot be together. She waits for 7 years, when her sailor returns. They marry in secret, despite her father's wishes.
In 2008 Roger Watson worked with children at Roman Way school in Andover. They rewrote the song about a boy and a girl who are friends at school...
There lies a ship in harbour, just ready to set sail
‘Crying ‘Heaven shall be my guard, my love, till I return again
Till I return again
Heaven shall be my guard, my love, till I return again’
Says the old man to the daughter, ‘what makes you so lament?’
‘Oh the lad that you have sent to sea, he can give my heart content
Can give my heart content
The lad that you have sent to sea, he can give my heart content’
‘So if that’s your inclination’, the old man did reply
‘I hope he will continue there and on the seas may die
And on the seas may die
I hope he will continue there and on the seas may die’
When seven long years were over and ten long tedious days
She saw his ship come sailing in with her true love o’er the wave
With her true love o’er the wave
She saw his ship come sailing in with her true love o’er the wave
‘Yonder sits my angel, she’s waiting there for me
Tomorrow to the church we’ll go and married we will be
Married we will be
Tomorrow to the church we’ll go and married we will be’
When we had been into the church and turning back again
We met her honoured father and several gentlemen
And several gentlemen
We met her honoured father and several gentlemen
He says, ‘my dearest daughter, five hundred pounds I’ll give
If you’ll forsake that sailor lad and come with me to live
And come with me to live
If you’ll forsake that sailor lad and come with me to live’
‘No, it’s not your gold that glitters, nor yet your silver that shines
I’m married to the lad I love and I’m happy in my mind
I’m happy in my mind
I’m married to the lad I love and I’m happy in my mind’
Additional Online Resources
- Audio recording sung by Roger Watson
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