"Well met, well met, my own true love.
Well met, well met," cried he.
"I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
in a land where the grass grows green,
in a land where the grass grows green.
"I could have married the king's daughter there,
and she would have married me,
but I refused her crowns of gold,
and it's all for the love of thee."
"You could have married the king's daughter, dear.
I'm sure you are to blame,
for I am married to a house carpenter,
and I think he's a fine young man.
O, he is a fine young man."
"Will you forsake your house carpenter
and come away with me?
I'll take you where the grass grows green
on the banks of the salt, salt sea,
on the banks of the salt, salt sea."
"If I forsake my house carpenter
and come away with thee,
what have you got to maintain me upon
and keep me from poverty?"
"Six ships! Six ships are on the sea,
seven more on dry land.
A hundred ten bold sailor men
will be at your command."
She picked up her sweet little babe
and kissed him one, two, three,
saying, "Stay right here with the house carpenter
and keep him company.
Keep him company."
She dressed herself in rich attire
so glorious to behold,
and as she rode upon her horse,
she shone like glittering gold.
They hadn't been to sea but about two weeks,
two weeks or maybe three,
when this lady began to weep,
and she wept most bitterly.
She wept most bitterly.
"Do you weep for your house carpenter?
Do you weep for your golden store?"
"I am weeping for my sweet little babe
whom I shall see no more."
They hadn't been to sea but about three weeks
(I'm sure it was not four),
when the ship sprang a leak from the bottom of the sea,
and it sank to rise no more.
It sank to rise no more.
Once around spun our gallant ship,
and twice around spun she.
Three times spun around our gallant ship
'til she sank to the bottom of the sea.
"Farewell, farewell, my own true love!
Farewell, farewell," cried she,
"I have forsaken my house carpenter,
and I'll die at the bottom of the sea!
I'll die at the bottom of the sea!"
credits
from Howlin' Spirits,
track released November 16, 2015
Davis Quinn - vocal, thundertube, electric guitars, bass, effects
Davis Quinn is a singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and traditional folk enthusiast. He has been performing and recording for over twenty years and lives in Buffalo, NY with his wife and dog.
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