Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy
Hymnal Index | Ship's Company Website

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Here's adieu sweet lovely Nancy, Ten thousand times adieu,
I am going over the ocean love, For to seek for something new,
Come change your ring with me dear girl, Come change your ring with me,
That it might be a token of true love, While I am on the sea.

When I am far and far from shore, You'll know not where I am,
Kind letters I will write to you, From every foreign land,
The secrets of my heart dear girl, And the best of my good will,
So let my body be where it might, My heart will be with you still.

There's a heavy storm a-rising, See how it gathers round,
While we poor boys on the ocean love, Are fighting for the Crown,
There's nothing to protect us love, Or to keep us from the cold,
On the ocean wide, where we must bide, Like jolly seamen bold.

There are tinkers, tailors and shoemakers, Lie snoring fast asleep,
While we poor boys on the ocean wide, Are plowing through the deep,
Our officers commanded us, And them we must obey,
Expecting every moment for to get cast away.

And when the wars are over, There'll be peace on every shore,
We'll return to our wives and our families, And the girls that we adore,
We'll call for liquor merrily; We'll spend our money free,
And when our money is all gone, We'll boldly go to sea.