Sailin's a Weary Life- Eliz Stewart (Aber) 1987
[My title. From: School of Scottish Studies; 1988.06.11 - Track ID: 94148 - Original Tape ID: SA1988.033. [Peta webb cover done in 1994: http://www.itma.ie/digitallibrary/sound/sailings_a_weary_life_peta_webb] "Sailin', Sailin"' also on her 1993 commercial recording 'Atween You An Me.'
R. Matteson 2017]
A woman is waiting upon her sailor love's return. She calls for a pen and paper to write down his name repeatedly. She asks her father to build her a boat.
Sailin's a Weary Life- Sung by Elizabeth Stewart of Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire Feb. 25, 1987. Recorded by Peter R. Cooke; Akiko Takamatsu.
O sailin', sailin's a weary life
It's ta'en from me my heart's delight,
It's left me here for to sigh and to moan
And me to wait upon my true love's return.
O bring to me paper, pen and ink
That I may write tae my heart's content
And every line I may drop a tear,
And every line I'll put Billy dear.
O father, father build me a boat
For it's on yon ocean that I may float
And every vessel I will pass by
I will make inquiry for my sailor boy
O she hadn't a long sailed upon the deep
When a man-y-war vessel she chanced to meet
O captain, captain come tell me true
If my dear Billy's among your crew?
"0 what kind of clothes does your Billy wear?
What kind of clothes does your Billy wear?"
His jacket's blue and his trousers white
And the color of his hair is as black as night.
0 I doubt, I doubt and I rather fear
That your dear Billy O he is not here
For all 1ast night as the wind blew high
We lost a sailor in yonder bay
0 she wrung her hands and she tore her hair
Like any lady in wild despair
She dashed her head up untae a rock
0 what life can I live since my Billy's gone?