O, once I was a waterman And lived
at home at ease, And now I am a mariner And plough the angry seas. I thought I'd like seafaring life, So bid my
love adieu, And shipp'd as cook and steward boys, On board the Kangaroo.
My love she was no foolish girl, Her
age it was two score, My love was not a spinster, She'd been married twice before; And they could not say it was
her wealth That stole my heart away. For she was a laundry starcher At three-and-six a day.
Oh think of me!
Oh think of me! She mournfully did say, When you are in a foreign land, Three thousand miles away; And take this
lucky farthing, 'Twill make you bear in mind The loving, faithful, trusting heart You leave in tears behind.
Cheer
up! Cheer up! my own true love, Don't weep so bitterly, But she sobbed and sighed and choked And cried and couldn't
say goodbye. I won't be gone so very long, Maybe a month or two, And when I do come back again, Of course I'll
marry you.
Our vessel it was homeward bound From many a foreign shore. And many a foreign present Unto my
love I bore; There were tortoises from Teneriffe And toys from Timbuctoo, A Chinese rat and a Bengal cat And a
Bombay cockatoo.
Paid off, I sought her dwelling In the suburbs of the town, An ancient dame upon a line Was
hanging out a gown. Where is my love? She's married, sir, About six months ago, To a man who drives a hardware van For
Johnny Fox and Co.
Farewell to Dixon's soap suds From the famous brand called Crown, To Reckitt's Blue, well
known to you, And Crean's Scouring Brown; I'll seek some far and distant clime, I can no longer stay, For my heart
is now so shattered I must live on China tay.
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