Sweet William- Birkett (Cum) 1969 M. Waterson
[From: Mike Waterson 1969 recording live at Folk Union One in 1969 (the former Watersons' own folk club held at the Blue Bell), which was recorded for the privately pressed LP Blue Bell Folk with the title Died for Love. Also recorded on "live at the Down River Folk Club," Loughton, in October 20, 1974. On the Watersons' 4CD anthology Mighty River of Song, 2004.
Michael (Mike) Waterson (17 January 1941 – 22 June 2011) was an English writer, songwriter and folk singer. Waterson was born in Hull, East Riding. Waterson commented in the album sleeve notes:
"We learnt this version of Sweet William from Margaret Birkett of Elterwater—the wife of Frank Birkett from whom we had Dido Bendigo."
Elterwater is a village in the English Lake District and the county of Cumbria. This version is a combination of Maiden's Prayer (see: Died for Love), popular in East Riding where Waterson is from and Sailor Boy (Oikotype A opening).
R. Matteson 2017]
Sweet William- from Margaret Birkett of Elterwater—the wife of Frank Birkett, sung live by Mike Waterson, 1969 and 1974.
It was early, early on a sunny day in spring
My love has listed all for to serve the king
The wind's blown high and the wind's blown low
And we parted, me and my young sailor boy
Oh father, fathar, will you build me a boat
That on the cold ocean I may float?
And every king's ship that we pass by
I'll make enquiry for my sailor boy.”
Why, she hadn't been a-sailing so very far upon the deep
When did her first king's ship she chanced to meet,
It's, “Captain, captain, tell me true,
Does my sweet William sail on board with you?”
“What colour is your true love's hair?
And what sort of jacket does your true love wear?”
“His jacket's blue, it's bright round with gold
And his hair it is the same colour as yours.”
“Oh no, fair maiden, I'm afraid he isn't here.
But he's been drownded and that I greatly fear.
On yon green ocean as we passed by,
There we lost sight of your young sailor boy.”
Why, she wrung her hands a little while and tore her hair
Much like some maiden in great despair.
“Oh happy, happy is the girl,” she cried,
“What has her own true lover by her side.”
Her father he, he come home late at night
His looking round for, for his sad delight
He went upstairs and the door he broke
And he found her hanging by a rope
And didn't he take him a knife so long and sharp and he cut her down
And in her bosom a note was found
Been written in blood just to testify
That for her true love William she did die
“Will you dig me a grave so very wide and so very deep
And put a marble stone at, at my head and feet
And in the middle, a snow-white dove
Just to let the world know that I died for love.”