Sing ho! Fer a brave an’ a gallant ship, an’ a fair an’ a fav’rin’ breeze, Wi’ a bully crew an’ a cap’en too, to carry me o’er the seas, To carry me o’er the seas, m’ boys, to me true luv far away. Fer I’m takin’ a trip in a Government ship, ten thousand miles away! Then—blow ye winds an’ blow! An’ a-rovin’ I will go. I’ll stay no more on England’s shore, To hear sweet music play-ay-ay-ay. Fer I’m on the move to me own true luv, Ten thousand miles away!
Sing high! Fer me luv she wuz beautiful, an’ me true luv she wuz gay, But she’s taken a trip on a Government ship, bound out to the Botany Bay. Bound out to the Botany Bay, m’ boys, an though she’s far away, I niver will ferget me own true luv, ten thousand miles away!
Sing low! Fer it wuz on a summer’s morn, when last I seed me Meg. She’d a Government band around each hand, an’ another around her leg. Oh, another one ‘round her leg, m’ boys, As the big ship left the Bay. Adieu, sez she, remember me, ten thousand miles away!
Oh, I wisht that I wuz such a bosun bold, or a sailor without fear, I’d man a boat an’ away I’d float, An’ straight fer me true luv steer. An’ straight fer me true luv steer, m’ boys, where the whales an’ the dolphins play. Where the sharks an’ whales are playin’ the gales, ten thousand miles away!
Oh, the sun it may shine through the London fog, or the river run quite clear, Or the ocean brine turn into wine, or I ferget me beer. Or I ferget me beer, m’ boys, or the landlord’s quarter-day. But I’ll niver ferget me own true luv, ten thousand miles away!
