Sailor Boy- Dick Duncan (Angus) c.1940 REC
[From School of Scottish Studies; Original Tape ID - SA1973.015, Recorded in 1973 by Hamlish Henderson.
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/play/26978;jsessionid=CF74C3EB7C32CFA12948978938BB4971
This Scottish version has the rare "Early, early" opening and several other unusual lines of text.
R. Matteson 2017]
A Sailor Boy -sung by Dick Duncan (1922-1988) about 1940. Duncan was born in West March of Gardyne, Kirkden, and raised in Angus. He was a farm servant.
It was early, early in spring,
When my sweetheart Willie went to serve the King.
The sea was wild and the winds blew high,
Thus parted me from my sailor boy.
Oh father build me a boat,
That on the ocean I may float.
And every vessel that I pass by,
It's I'll enquire for my sailor boy.
She had not sailed far on the deep,
Till a man-o'-war she chanced to meet.
Oh hail, oh hail, the happy crew,
Is my sweetheart Willie on board with you?"
What was the colour of your Willie's hair?
And what kind of clothes did your Willie wear?
A [sailor's ] and his jacket blue,
His trousers white and his heart was blue[1].
"Oh no, oh no, he is not here,
He is dead or drowned, I'd rather fear.
For it was just last night when the wind spilled high,
We lost our nice young sailor boy."
She wrung her hands and she tore her hair,
Just like a madman in despair.
And like a dove to the rocks she veered,
Saying, "Willie dear, I wish I were not here."
She called for paper and a pen,
[upcoming]
1. should be "true".