Sailor Boy- William H. Burnett (AR) 1954 Parler C
[From Ozark Folk Song Collection; Reel 196, Item 9. Collected by Mary Celestia Parler. Transcribed by Nathaniel Lucy. A cover of this version was made by Judy Cook.
Listen: http://digitalcollections.uark.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/OzarkFolkSong/id/4025/rec/33
R. Matteson 2017]
Sailor Boy- Sung by William Harrison Burnett of Fayetteville, Arkansas July 20, 1954.
A sailor’s life is a dreary life
It draws fair maidens with their hearts delight
It causes them for to weep and to mourn
The sake of a true love that'll never return
It causes them for to weep and to mourn
The sake of a true love that'll never return
Oh it's dark is the color of my true love's hair
His cheeks is of a lily fair
And on his breast he wears a star
None can I love but my sweet sailor boy
And on his breast he wears a star
None can I love but my sweet sailor boy.
Oh its Father, oh Father go build me a boat
Out on this ocean I will float
And every ship that I pass by
There I will inquire of my sweet sailor boy
And every ship that I pass by
There I will inquire of my sweet sailor boy
Out on this ocean she did float
There she passed about five boats
She hailed the captain as he sailed by
And of him she inquired of her sweet sailor boy
She hailed the captain as he sailed by
And of him she inquired of her sweet sailor boy
Oh no my dear he is not here
He'd been dead five months or more
Near rocky island as we sailed by
There we had to leave your sweet sailor boy
Near rocky island as we sailed by
There we had to leave your sweet sailor boy
She pulled her boat upon a rock
Just like a lady with her heart most broke
She wrung her hands and tore her hair
Just like a lady in deep despair
She wrung her hands and tore her hair
Just like a lady in deep despair
Go and get me a chair, to set upon
A pen and ink to write a song
At the end of every line she dropped a tear
At the end of every verse cried oh my dear
At the end of every line she dropped a tear
At the end of every verse cried oh my dear
Go and dig my grave both wide and deep
Place marbles at my head and feet
And on my breast a snow white dove
To show to this world that I died in love
And on my breast a snow white dove
To show to this world that I died in love