Bluegrass Messengers

I'll Sit Down and Write a Song- Lena Fish (NH) 1940 Warners

[From Traditional American Folk Songs p. 149-150, Anne Warner, editor. Syracuse University Press, 1984. Also recorded in 1940 and 1943 (listen online) by Flanders as "I Mourn My Sailor Boy"-- see below.

R. Matteson 2017]


I'll Sit Down and Write a Song- sung by Lean Bourne Fish of East Jaffrey, New Hampshire in 1940.

I'll sit down and write a song.
I'll write it short, and I'll write it strong.
At every word I'll let fall a tear,
Will end my song, farewell my dear.

It was early, early in the spring,
My love was sent to serve the king.
A sad misfortune attended him
By the angry sea and the stormy wind.

I'll hire me a little boat,
And in the harbor I'll set float.
What that ship anchors I'll say, "Ahoy!
Have you brought back my sailor boy?"

I had not sailed scarce a mile or three
Before that vessel I chanced to see.
"O Captain, Captain, tell me true,
Does my dear William sail with you?"

"My lass, your William is not here,
Your lover's drowned I deeply fear.
On yon green isle as I passed by
There I lost sight of a sailor boy."

Oh, who can fathom my despair?
My sorrow is more than I can bear.
All my fond hopes so bright and free
Lie buried in the deep blue sea.

_______________________

Helen Hartness Flanders Collection (Middlebury College, Vermont) D51 A 15

I Mourn My Sailor Boy- sung by Lena Bourne Fish of  East Jaffrey, New Hampshire. Recorded 1940 and 1943 (26 Aug)
Listen: https://archive.org/details/HHFBC_tapes_D51A

I'll sit down and write a song,
Will write it short, and write it strong.
At every line I'll let fall a tear,
Will end my verse, "Farewell my dear."

'Twas early, early in the spring,
My love was sent to serve the king.
A sad misfortune attended him
By the angry sea and the stormy wind.

I will hire me a little boat,
And in the harbor I'll set float.
What that ship anchors I'll say, "Ahoy!
Have you brought back my sailor boy?"

I had not sailed scarce a mile or three
Before that vessel I chanced to see.
"O Captain, Captain, tell me true,
Does my dear William sail with you?"

"My lass, your William is not here,
Your lover's drowned I deeply fear[1].
On yon green isle as I passed by
There I lost sight of your sailor boy."

Oh, who can fathom my despair?
My sorrow is more than I can bear.
All my fond hopes so bright and free
Lie buried in the deep blue sea.

1. Sings. "I deeply fear your lover's drowned" which takes away the rhyme.