Sweet William- 100 English Folk Songs 1916 Sharp
[From: One Hundred English Folksongs by Cecil J Sharp Editor, 1916. This is a compilation, no information by Sharp is provided in the brief notes. According to Malcolm Douglas: The Sharp set is a collation; the tune, and verse 2, were noted from Mr Gordge at Bridgwater, Somerset, 2 January 1906. Verse 1 (and perhaps 3 and 5, altered) is from Tom Sprachlan, Hambridge, Somerset, September 1903. Some modifications appear to have been made with reference to Mr Hills' set (notably in verses 3 and 4; verse 4 may have been taken directly from his version), and the final verse is a mystery.
R. Matteson 2017]
Sweet William
1. A sailor's life is a merry life
He'll rob young girls of their heart's delight,
Then go and leave them to sigh and moan
No tongue can tell when he will return.
2. Oh, father, father, build me a boat,
That on the ocean I may float,
And the first king's ship that I chance to meet,
I will enquire for my William sweet.
3. She had not sail-ed far on the deep
Before a king's ship she chanced to meet,
O all yon sailors come tell me true,
Is my sweet William on board with you?
4. Oh no, fair lady, he is not here;
For he is drowned I greatly fear;
On yonder island as we pass'd by,
There we lost sights of your sailor boy.
5. She kneel-ed down and she wrote a song,
She wrote it neat and she wrote it long-
At ev'ry line, 0, she shed a tear,
And at the end: Fare you well, my dear.
6. The grass it groweth on ev'ry lea,
The leaf it falleth from ev'ry tree;
How happy that small bird doth cry
That hath her true love close to her side.