Our Gallant Ship- McGill (NB) pre1911 Barry C
[From British Ballad From Maine; Barry et all; 1929. Mrs. James McGill of Chamcook, New Brunswick, was originally from Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland where she learned songs and ballads from her grandmother and family. She moved to New Brunswick about 1911 and still sang in Scots diction. Evidently this is the chorus and should be repeated:
She may look, she may sigh wi' a watery eye,
She may look tae the bottom o' the sea, the sea, the sea,
She may look tae the bottom o' the sea.
R. Matteson Jr. 2014]
C. "Our Gallant Ship." Sent in, April, 1928, by Mrs. James McGill, Chamcook, New Brunswick, who learned it in Scotland.
1 On a stormy sea as we set sail,
Not far, not far from land,
. . . .
. . . . .
2. Up spoke the Captain of our gallant ship,
And a fine old man was he,
"O, I hae a wife in Edinboro toon,
An this nicht she'll be lookin' for me, for me, for me,
An this nicht she'll be lookin' for me."
She may look, she may sigh wi' a watery eye,
She may look tae the bottom o' the sea, the sea, the sea,
She may look tae the bottom o' the sea.
Then up spoke the mate o' our gallant ship,
Ant a brave young man was he,
"O, I hae a wife in fair Edinboro toon,
An' this nicht she'll be lookin' for me, etc."
Then up spoke the cabin boy on our gallant ship,
Ant a fine wee boy was he,
"O, I hae a sweetheart in auld Edinboro toon,
An' this nicht she'll be lookin' for me, etc."
Then up spoke the cook on our gallant ship,
Ant a cross old cook was he,
"O, I hae mair bother wi' ma kettles, pots an' pans,
Than ye wit your wives all three, etc."
Then three times round went our gallant little ship,
Ant three times round went she,
An' three times round went the gallant little ship,
An' she sank to the bottom of the sea.