Sailing Trade- Anon (Aber) c.1908 Greig J
[My date, location--no informant named. From The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection - Volume 8 - page 483 by Patrick N. Shuldham-Shaw, ‎Emily B. Lyle - 2002.
R. Matteson 2017]
J. The Sailing Trade- Written down by Greig, no source named.
1. The sailing trade it's a weary life
They have robbed me of my heart's delight
They have left me here in tears to mourn
Still thinking on my true love's return.
2. For where he is I cannot tell
Nor in my arms does my love dwell
But to enjoys him, I will in time
I'll enjoy the fairest of all mankind.
3. O father, father, build me a boat,
That on the ocean she may float,
I will view the French ships as they pass by,
And I will enquire for my sailor boy.
4. She had not sailed a league but three
Till she met a Frenchman and his company
Says "Captain, captain, come tell me true
If my true love sails on board with you?"
5. What is the kind of your laddie's hair
Or what kind of dress does your laddie wear?"
"His jacket's blue and his trousers white
He has yellow hair and he's my delight."
6. "But the sailor's cry I rather fear
That your true love is no more here
For the very last night when the winds blew high
We lost a famous young sailor boy."
7. "O sailors, sailors go all in black
O sailors, sailors go mournfully,
Tie a black silk flag to yon top mast high
And I'll go mourn for my sailor boy."
8. She called for paper she called long
She called for paper to write a song
At ilka line she dropped a tear
And at ilka verse she cried, "Willie dear."
9. You'll dig my grave, you'll dig it deep,
A marble stone you'll put at my head
And at my side a white turtle dove
For to let them know that I've died in love.