Banks of Green Willow Songtext
von Martin Carthy

It′s of a sea captain
Who lived down by the seaside, oh
And he's courted with a fair maid
And he′s got her with child

Go and get your father's goodwill
And get some of your mother's money
And we′ll sail right o′er the ocean
Along with young Johnny

Oh she's got her father′s goodwill
And she's ta′en some of her mother's money
And she′s sailed right o'er the ocean
Along with young Johnny

Now they had not been a-sailing
But six weeks or better
Before she needed women
And she could not get any


Oh hold your tongue you silly girl
Oh hold your tongue my honey
For we cannot get women
For love nor for money

Now they had not been a sailing
But seven weeks or better
With our sails high and the sea smooth
But miles we made not any

Oh there's fay folk in our gallant ship
The captain he cried so boldly
Oh there′s fay folk in our gallant ship
She will not sail for me

So they′ve cast the black bullets
And they've cursed twice six and forty
And it′s oh the black bullet
Fell on his dearest honey

Oh he's tied a napkin all round her head
And he′s tied it round so softly
And he's thrown her right over
Both she and her baby


And it′s seeing how she doth swim my boys
And it's seeing how she doth swagger
She will never leave off swimming
Till she come to some cover

Oh she shall have a coffin
And the nails shall shine yellow
And me love she shall be buried
On the banks of green willow