A Sailor's Life- Mary Jo Davis (AR) 1958 O'Bryant
[From Folkways SA 2338; American Folk Songs and Ballads, by Joan O'Bryant, 1958.
R. Matteson 2017]
A Sailor's Life- from Mary Jo Davis of Fayetteville, Arkansas.
A sailor's life is a dreary one,
It robs fair maids of their heart's delight,
It causes them to weep and to mourn,
The loss of a true love that never shall return,
It causes them to weep and to mourn,
The loss of a true love that never shall return.
Oh, dark is the color of my true love's hair,
His face is like a lily fair,
And on his breast he wears a star,
How can I love but my sweet sailor boy,
And on his breast he wears a star,
How can I love but my sweet sailor boy.
Oh, father, father, go build me a boat,
So out on this ocean I may 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.
So out on this ocean she did float,
And there she passed about five boats,
And every one she did inquire,
There she will inquire of her sweet sailor boy,
And every one she did inquire,
There she will inquire of her sweet sailor boy.