Seth Lakeman

Oh ye Mariners as you pass by,
Well come into drink if you are dry.
Come and spend, my lads, your money brisk,
And pop your nose in this one.
Drink another jug of this.

Oh ye tipplers, have you that crown?
For you are welcome all to sit down.
Come and spend, my lads, your money brisk,
And pop your nose in this one.
In another jug of this.

Now I'm old and I can scarcely crawl,
I've an old grey beard and a head that's bald.
Crown my desire and fulfill my bliss,
With a pretty young girl
And another jug of this.

Now I'm in my grave and I am dead,
And all these sorrows are passed and fled.
Go and turn myself into a fish,
And let me swim around you
In another jug of this.

I heard her in the valley,
I heard her in the dead of night.
The warning of a white hare
Her eyes burning bright.

Be careful you don't catch her
Or give her right of way.
For she will look upon you,
And steal your soul away

For the white hare is calling,
She's dancing in the night.
She'll be out 'til the morning light.

Out upon the heather
A shadow came onto me.
Her hair was hanging over,
Her face I could not see.

She ran behind the rocks,
I heard the hounds cry,
The image of a woman
With head she held up high.

For the white hare is calling,
She's dancing in the night.
She'll be out 'til the morning
With her eyes burning bright.
The white hare is calling you.

If you go hunting,
Calling out your prey,
If you see a fair maid,
Her hair of ash and grey,

Careful you don't catch her,
Or give her right of way,
For she will look upon you,
And steal your soul away

For the white hare is calling,
She's dancing in the night.
She'll be out 'til the morning,
With her eyes burning bright.
The white hare is calling you.

You can her her calling every night

You can her her calling every night
You can her her calling……

I heard her in the valley,
I heard her in the dead of night.
The warning of a white hare
Her eyes burning bright.

Be careful you don't catch her
Or give her right of way.
For she will look upon you,
And steal your soul away

For the white hare is calling,
She's dancing in the night.
She'll be out 'til the morning light.

Out upon the heather
A shadow came onto me.
Her hair was hanging over,
Her face I could not see.

She ran behind the rocks,
I heard the hounds cry,
The image of a woman
With head she held up high.

For the white hare is calling,
She's dancing in the night.
She'll be out 'til the morning
With her eyes burning bright.
The white hare is calling you.

If you go hunting,
Calling out your prey,
If you see a fair maid,
Her hair of ash and grey,

Careful you don't catch her,
Or give her right of way,
For she will look upon you,
And steal your soul away

For the white hare is calling,
She's dancing in the night.
She'll be out 'til the morning,
With her eyes burning bright.
The white hare is calling you.

You can her her calling every night

You can her her calling every night
You can her her calling……

The streams of lovely Nancy are divided in three parts,
Where young men and maidens meet their long sweethearts,
It is drinking of good liquor that has caused my heart to sing,
And the noise in yonder village made the rocks ring.

At the bottom of this mountain runs a river clear,
A ship from the Indes did once anchor here,
With her red flags a'flying and the beating of her drum,
With sweet instruments of music and the firing of her gun.

At the bottom of this mountain where the birds do fly,
There is one amoungst them that flies so very high,
If I had her in my arms near the diamond's cold black land,
How soon I'd secure her by the kindness of my hands.

So come all you little streamers that walk the meadows gay,
Go write unto your love wherever she may lay,
With her rosy lips entice me and her tongue she tells me no
But the angels might direct us wherever we should go.

Make us ready boys all with wonder born,
We'll guide this fair ship and sail towards the morn,
Come on all alas, now here's the master dear,
I fear this deadly storm is coming to us near.

We sailed from Plymouth Sound in a week or three,
With not that far to go boys, some canons to retrieve.
The night it grew much darker and the wind it came in strong,
And it grew upon us lads and there was nothing to be done.

The waves grew higher and broke upon our ship,
Then poor old master's taken with nothing left to grip,
Drop the anchor downwards and throw him out a line,
Poor old master's overboard he be swallowed by the tide.

So hear my warning that I give to you,
Be careful when your sailing with that lucky few,
Tie up every deck hand tightly 'til the morn,
And well go together boys in the belly of the storm.
Don't go sailing out with me, I fear your soul be lost at sea.

Come all young fellows that carry a gun,
Beware of late shooting when the
Daylight is done.
It is my reckoning that many hazards
They may run.
I shot my true love at the setting of the
Sun.

In a shower of rain my darling did lie,
All under the bushes to keep herself dry.
Her head in her apron I thought her as a
Swan.
I shot my true love at the setting of the
Sun.

I'll fly from my country, I nowhere find my
Rest,
Because I've shot my own true love, like
A bird upon her nest.
Like lead in my heart lies the deed that I
Have done.
I shot my true love at the setting of the
Sun.

In the night my fair maid as a white swan
Appears.
She she says "Oh my true love quickly
Dry up those tears,
"I freely forgive you for this paradise that
I've won,
"I was shot by my true love at the rising
Of the sun".

The years they pass leave me lonely and
Sad.
I can never love again 'cause none
Make me glad.
I'll wait and expect you until my work
Down here is done,
Then I'll meet my true love at the setting
Of the sun

All you sailors old or young come light the guns on everyone.
We'll take the ship and go to sea
Crush the north in '53

Fought upon a broken shore
With 20 thousand men or more.
We're the riflemen of war.

All you sailors old or young come light the guns on everyone
Make that shot against their bow, we watched their maiden sinking down.

Fired aloud and the cannons roar
With 20 thousand rounds or more.
We're the riflemen of war

All you injured old or young, come let's steal the gold for everyone.
Take the ship, to England sail.
Good heroes welcome, we'll prevail.

Pull the mast to better shores,
A hundred men were back on board.
We're the riflemen of war

Come all you bold people,
Give ear to my song.
Ill sing in good praise
Of all brandy and rum.
There's a clear, crystal fountain,
With England's control,
Give me that punch ladel,
I'll fathom the bowl.

My wife she comes in
As I sit at my ease.
She scolds and she grumbles,
And does as she please.
Well, she may scold and grumble
'Til she's black as coal.
Give me that punch ladel,
I'll fathom the bowl.

My father he lies
In the depths of the sea.
With no stone at his feet,
Does it matter to me?
There's a clear crystal fountain
Where England should roll.
Give me that punch ladel,
I'll fathom bowl.

He's going under.
Beneath this stone in the fading light
Lies the lonely soul of a Joseph Wright.
Few hearts knew his kindness warm,
Few heads grew with a knowledge more
Informed.

He's going under.
With a gracious voice and a humour
Broad,
He pleased both peasant, squire and a
Lord,
A length his breath had a fortune steered
We called Joe's life the finest lot in
Years.

He's going under,
He's going under,
Poor Joe's life it was the finest lot in
Years.

The hammer went down on his soul that
Night.
His breath was cold but he suffered no
Fight.
He was the last one sold on a priceless
Tear,
For poor Joe's life it was the finest lot in
Years.

He's going under,
He's going under,
Poor Joe's life it was the finest lot in
Years

You've heard of the great disaster
Where a terrible price was paid.
One hundred and forty colliers lost, and
Twenty only saved.
Down in the ground they're lying
With a dirt so thick inside.

There were many lost in the dark and
Dust
When the colliers called out
"Hold your fire!"

The gas in the old deep section
Packed like a wintery drift.
And many a man had a blackened face
Before he'd finished his shift.
The manager had been told
"Don't fire that shot, we'll die!"

There were many lost in the dark and
Dust
When the colliers called out
"Hold your fire!"

The firemen report their missing,
Some say forty days.
The manager he ignored them to cover
His criminal ways.
Now down in the dark they're lying
With a dirt so thick inside.

There were many lost in the dark and
Dust
When the colliers called out
"Hold your fire!"

The family sent white lillies,
And paid for their Sunday best,
And the manager found, well all comes
Down
The colliers had their rest.
We'll go one more time unto the mine
To hear those colliers cry!

There were many lost in the dark and
Dust
When the colliers called out
"Hold your fire!"

A soldier is obsessed with his love - a
True charmer.

For the charmer courted me,
And she stole away my love,
When my heart was young and fair,
She was the maid beyond compare.

When my head was hanging low
Well, she fought through frost and snow.
In my arms she'll rest away
For the charmer I would name.

Tell it to the charmer, so fine and pretty.
Farewell charmer.

She brought that summer fright,
We were separate every night.
On those winter days to prove
She's away on the morning dew.

I wish but it's in vain,
For the soldier I became,
Fighting lands I'd never see,
For the grass will cover me.

Tell it to the charmer, so fine and pretty.
Farewell charmer.

Well her bed is fine as silk,
The sheets as white as milk.
When my heart has gone away.
I'll leave a bed as cold as clay.

She has two hearts I have none.
All alone when I am done.
To that charmer I endure,
For the price of love and war.

So tell it to the charmer, she's so fine
And pretty.
Farewell charmer

Down on the moor in a green old field,
There lies a knight slain under his shield,
His hounds they lie down at his feet,
So well they can their master keep.

The bold knight above,
If he see that angel with her love
The bold knight above,
If he could see that angel with her love.

Down on the moor a fallow girl
As great with young for all the world.
She lifted up his bloody head,
And kissed his wounds that were so red.

Chorus

She picked him up upon her back,
And carried him no hands attached.
She buried him before their prime,
Then she was dead herself at even time,

Chorus

Summer evening, a maiden fair
Was walking forth in the open air.
She met her lover on the way,
She called out her heart would stay.

She said love not constant will quickly
Go.
Cold as winter, white as snow.
Summer treasure, hand to hold,
Love be constant in a band of gold.

The wind is fresh'ning upon her eyes,
Down the years that stretch so wide.
Angels sing so far away,
His promises gently fade
She said love not constant will quickly
Go.
Cold as winter, white as snow.
Summer treasure, hand to hold,
Love be constant in a band of gold.

Summer evening, a maiden fair
Was walking forth in the open air.
She said love not constant will quickly
Go.
Cold as winter, white as snow.
Summer treasure, hand to hold,
Love be constant in a band of gold

It was Monday morning in heavy rain,
When Josie went from our house, never back again,
Out beyond the hillside where the cattle stand,
With her recent lover holding her right hand.

They both went out together in the Monday mist,
She never saw it coming, waiting at his wrist,
He struck her swiftly and she fell right down,
Flowers grew around her a body never found.

Whenever you're walking out in the snow,
Think of poor Josie all on her own,
Wherever those flowers stand out unknown,
You'll be steppin' on her gravestone.

So tell me where is Josie and where's she flown,
You both went out together you've come back alone,
You sit so sadly with a face so cold,
You're no more paler though than the life you stole.

Chorus

Winter morning, I rode out to take the air.
I heard them calling, there's a hunt today
Declared.

Two young soldiers are on the run,
Came in courting a maiden young.
They stole her beauty, took no gold.
Take no prisoners, take no rogues.

Judge and jury, forty huntsmen rode to
Town.
Their noble duty, track those footprints
Up and down.

Two young soldiers are on the run,
Came in courting a maiden young.
They stole her beauty, took no gold.
Take no prisoners, take no rogues.

We took that mountain, the moonlight
Shadows cast our way.
Wind was howling, we must catch our
Bird of prey,

Two young soldiers are on the run,
Came in courting a maiden young.
They stole her beauty, took no gold.
Take no prisoners, take no rogues.

Make us ready, I see a fire up ahead,
Go in gently, load those rifles up with
Lead.

Two young soldiers are on the run,
Came in courting a maiden young.
They stole her beauty, took no gold.
Take no prisoners, take no rogues

I come to you with honour
I come to you in vain
I've come to you my true love
In the greenwood you were slain

I do as much for my love
As any young man may
I'll sit and mourn her memory
For twelve months and a day

The sound of a drum
Is beating all around
Like a shadow on the run
Caught in the dark
And lover lay down
She lay down

I'll think upon this garden
The purest footprints walked
The fairest flower now blossomed
Has now withered to a stalk

Your lips they are cold sweetheart
Your breath is earthly strong
And if I kiss your cold clay lips
My time here may not be long

The sound of a drum
Is beating all around
Like a shadow on the run
Caught in the dark
And lover lay down
She lay down

Lover lay down
She lay down

The sound of a drum
I hear it beating all around me
Like a shadow on the run
Caught in the dark

The sound of a drum
I hear it beating all around me
Like a shadow on the run
Caught in the dark
She lay down

At fair Mounts Bay on that Christmas week
Such a raging storm no man could speak
A lifeboat thundered through an angry sea
Called Solomon Browne and her company

Good courage it was called
On our heroes brave and bold
Good courage it was called upon that night

Now this stricken coaster called the Union Star
Her maiden voyage she never thought that far
With Captain Morton and his four man crew
A woman to save and her daughters two

Never had a lifeboat fought in vain
She could have made a dash for port but they tried again
All sixteen perished in that mighty wave
It tossed them overboard into a watery grave

Good courage it was called
On our heroes brave and bold
Good courage it was called upon that night

Back at Penlee Point time stood still
For twelve young children cried for their fathers killed
A nation shed tears for years as the news went around
Of the constant courage of Solomon Browne

Good courage it was called
On our heroes brave and bold
Good courage it was called upon that night

Good courage it was called
On our heroes brave and bold
Good courage it was called upon that night

Poor as paupers, proud as kings,
All we do is aim for better things.

That finger, finger of faith comes out and
Touches me,
It's better, better late than never for
Honesty,
That sender, go and send yourself
Another dream.

Go and send yourself away, go and
Dream,
Go and dream, go and send yourself
Away.

Poor as paupers, proud as kings,
All we do is aim for better things.

Your so tender, tender eyes, release that
Golden view.
It's simple, simple friendship, flowers are
Passed to you,
Your picture, picture perfect, pathways
Are laid for you.

Go and send yourself away, go and
Dream,
Go and dream, go and send yourself
Away.

Poor as paupers, proud as kings,
All I do is aim for better things

We left our sweethearts and our wives
Along the pier
"Cheer up", they said
"You'll soon return in half the year"
So we sailed up north
To reach the ice
We took full sail
Each boat was manned with guns and rope
To hunt that whale

We know we'll be fighting in this frost on our own
And we'll see no sound nor sights of our homes
And our lovers they'll be waiting there 'til spring
It's a ramble and a race to be king
A race to be king

Now we'd been sailing a league or three
To glimpse that shore
The night was dark and won no hearts so we stayed on board
There fired a shot along our deck and down one side
And it cracked our mast and swept in fast
Our bird she cried out

That we know we'll be fighting in this frost on our own
And we'll see no sound nor sights of our homes
And our lovers they'll be waiting there 'til spring
It's a ramble and a race to be king
A race to be king

A race to be king

Race to be king

A race to be king

And we know we'll be fighting in this frost on our own
And we'll see no sound nor sights of our homes
And our lovers they'll be waiting there 'til spring
It's a ramble and a race to be king
A race to be king

A race to be king

A race to be king

A race to be king

Kind friends, well gather round
There's a dream that I had late last night
There's plenty of land, good soil and sea
We won't have to struggle and fight
It's a poor man's heaven we'll have our way
We won't have nothing to fear, no
With real feather beds to rest their heads
We'll all have one of our own

It's a poor man's heaven to be free
A poor man's heaven to believe
It's a poor man's vision up above
A poor man's heaven to be loved

We'll run up their banks, we'll shoot their cranks
We won't give a damn who we hurt
With the rich man's son we'll have our fun
We'll stick him there shovelling dirt
We'll live on champagne and drive that train
Drink from the day until midnight
If someone should dare to ask our fare
We'll punch him and put out his lights

It's a poor man's heaven to be free
A poor man's heaven to believe
It's a poor man's vision up above
A poor man's heaven to be loved

We'll live at our ease, take all we please
We won't have no-one to fend for
If someone gets smart we'll take him apart
And spread him all over the floor
It's a poor man's heaven we'll have our way
We won't have nothing to fear, no
With real feather beds to rest our heads
We'll all have one of our own

It's a poor man's heaven to be free
A poor man's heaven to believe
It's a poor man's vision up above
A poor man's heaven to be loved

It's a poor man's heaven

It's a poor man's heaven

It's a poor man's heaven

You, you should be sipped not drunk,
You should be sailed not sunk.
Take a look outside your window,
A little look outside your window.

You, are you a friend or foe,
Are you the man I know?
Get a look outside your window,
Another look outside your window.

I'll be seeking sunshine after rain,
I'll be keeping comfort over pain,
I'll be feeling freedom has that view to carry on,
Do you want some?

Go, look outside your window.

You, are you all wet and wild,
Have you a certain style?
Take a look outside your window,
A little look outside your window.

You, you should be picked not punched,
You should be sailed not sunk.
Take a look outside your window,
Another look outside your window.

Chorus

I never had a reason before you...

Out of the moonlight in the month of May,
This ship would take her last breath.
Her full mast it was draping,
Like a mermaid she was dressed.

Her lonely heart is setting free,
All her cares they went sailing out to sea.

All those people gathered round,
Flocked to view that lovely sight.
All young maidens came to town,
They waved her out into the night.

She tried to clear the rocks with swelling
Sails,
The ocean beat her everytime,
And with a crack her body failed.
Sea engulfed and filled our eyes.

When the news returned to the town,
Every maid sat on the pier,
With lovers lost and fathers never found,
For now that mermaid's dressed in tears.

Her lonely heart has set us free,
As all our prayers they went sailing out to
Sea.
You can hear her calling,
Now that mermaid's dressed in tears

Poor Kitty Jay such a beauty cast away,
This silent prayer it should paint some peace
On her grave,
Something broke her sleep.

Poor Kitty Jay such a beauty thrown away,
So young and fair now she's turned to dust,
And clay,
Terror broke her sleep.

Never guessed unto her cold end,
Call the Devil her only friend,
Never guessed it with his bare hands,
Call the Devil the mark of man.

Folding hills and a silver lane,
A weeping maid, an evening in the rain,
Roses ramble and the trees hang low,
We sit and drink to all good friends we
Know.

'Tis I my love who'll leave in June,
For twenty five days no more.
Now mark that spot from whence I came
It's for king and country I'll come back
Again.

The first season passed without news.
Two weeks gone and still no autumn
Tune.
The leaves they weep for the loss of their
Spring,
The dimming days they serve no better
King.

'Tis I my love who fought for you.
For twenty five weeks no more.
Now mark that spot from whence I came
It's for king and country I'll come back
Again.

The wind blew in a few small drops of
Rain.
She followed them 'til her tears ran down
Again.
I'll do as much as any young man may.
Please don't sit and mourn I'll come
Back rich and brave.

'Tis I my love who fell for you,
After twenty five months no more.
Now mark that spot from whence I came
It's for king and country I'll come back
Again.
I'll come back to you on the longest day.
I'll come back to you when I'm rich and
Brave.
I'll come back to you.

Out of the doorway her hands upon her
Head,
The weeping maid, her love was lost or
Dead.
Her longest day had only just begun.
She cursed the man who favoured for
The gun.

'Tis I my love who fell for you.
For twenty five years or more
Now mark that spot from whence we
Came
It's for king and country I'll come back
Again.
I'll come back to you on the longest day.
I'll come back to you when I'm rich and
Brave.
I'll come back to you on the longest day.
I'll come back to you

All good people I pray you attend
For poor John Lomas his life at an end
He was condemned to die.

He was a great master, so very kind,
But his fair mistress had evil in her mind
He was condemned to die.

Willingly I took his place
With my fair love
Willingly I stole his face
And soaked it in blood.
It was the mistress and the murder for love.

This fair mistress found him asleep.
It's time to kill him then my heart you can keep,
He was condemned to die.

Three times I struck him over his head.
It was my first murder, a blood soaken bed,
He was condemned to die.

Chorus

Into my room then I did return,
The crime committed, my conscience it did burn,
I was condemned to die.

In a dark Jailhouse I would remain,
For poor John Lomas now it is my name.
I am condemned to die.

Chorus

A maiden might be pure in grace and harmony,
Problems arise, she'll be there to sacrifice
And set the mind, as all our cares sail out to sea,
Into the unknown, a favoured face you stand alone.

May the colour of your dreams be good as gold,
Painting pictures 'til that wish unfolds.

It's all your world....
A maiden might be full of grace and harmony,
When problems arise she should be there to sympathize.
Set the mind free as all these cares sail out to sea,
You're more than that friend, a coast to coast, an end to end.

Chorus

A year at sea, your letter came
To shatter all my plans
You set me free, changed your name
I stretch out these cold hands

On board ship the rumours ride
And no-one meets my eye
I've thrown your ring out on the tide
I pray my curses fly

To haunt you
Haunt your bed
Tap the windows, awake in dread
I'd pray that you'd loved me instead
But I'll haunt you

I've walked alone upon this deck
A thousand times or more
Half a year from my return
These cries fly back to shore

You promised me our love was strong
You said that you'd be true
Go tell yourself that I'm long gone
'Cause here's what I will do

I'll haunt you
Haunt your bed
Tap the windows, awake in dread
Pray that you'd loved me instead
I'll haunt you, I'll haunt your bed
And I'll haunt you
Sleep in fear
Whisper secrets in your ear
A world away but I'll be near
I'll haunt you, I'll haunt you here

And I'll haunt you
Haunt your bed
Tap the windows, awake in dread
Pray that you'd loved me instead
I'll haunt you

Fear me
Whenever you're sleeping
I will be watching over you

Whenever you're sleeping
I will be watching over you

Whenever you're sleeping
I will be watching over you

Whenever you're sleeping

A year at sea since your letter came
To shatter all my plans
You set me free, changed your name
I stretch out these cold hands

To haunt you
Haunt your bed
Tap the windows, awake in dread
Pray that you'd loved me instead
But I'll haunt you, I'll haunt your bed

And I'll haunt you
Sleep in fear
Whisper secrets in your ear
A world away but I'll be near
I'll haunt you, I'll haunt you here

And I'll haunt you
Haunt your bed
Tap the windows, awake in dread
Pray that you'd loved me instead
But I'll haunt you

Fear me
Whenever you're sleeping
I will be watching over you

Whenever you're sleeping
I will be watching over you

Whenever you're sleeping
I will be watching over you

Whenever you're sleeping