SAILOR SONGS


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The Low Low Lands of Holland

Traditional:

courtesy of www.SailorSongs.com - 1760 Lyrics


The very day I was married
That night I lay on my bed
A press gang came to my bedside
These words to me they said
Arise arise arise young man
And come along with me with me
To the low low lands of Holland
To face your enemy

But Holland is a cold place
A place where grows no green
And Holland is a cold place
For my love to wander in
Though money had been as plentiful
As leaves upon the tree the tree
Yet before I'd time to turn myself
My love was stolen from me

I'll build my love a gallant ship
A ship of noted fame.
With four and twenty seamen bold
To box her on the main
They'll rant and roar in sparkling glee
Where some ever they do go do go
To the low low lands of Holland
To face the daring foe

Says the mother to the daughter
What makes you to lament
O there are lords and dukes and squires
Can ease your heart's content
But never will I married be
Until the day I die I die
since the low, low lands of Holland
Have parted my love and me

There's not a swathe goes round my waist
Nor comb goes in my hair
Neither firelight nor candle light
Can ease my heart's despair
And never will I married be
Until the day I die I die
Since the low low lands of Holland
Have parted my love and meĀ 



The author of this website has put a lot of time and effort into gathering the greatest collection of sea shanties for the world to enjoy - There are songs that have been to sung to a job of work at sea for many, many years and collecting them has been a great endeavour. - Roger Chartier has made the effort out of his own interest and the requests that he has gotten to do this work from fellow musicians who wanted a good source of sea shanties to draw on and learn from. He has been told that for this effort he is a remarkable man.