A ship's crew of sailors as you may understand
Bound for the West Indies or some foreign land
There's one lad amongst them I wish I never knew
He's my bonnie, bonnie sailor with a jacket so blue
The first time I saw my love he'd a spy gla** in his hand
I went to talk to him but he would not stand
I went to talk to him but from me he flew
And my heart it went along with him and his jacket so blue
Says I my noble sailor I'll buy your discharge
I'll free you from sailing and set you at large
I'll free you from that man-o-war if your heart does be true
And I'd never let a stain on your jacket so blue
Well said I my noble lady you'll buy my discharge
You'll free me from sailing and set me at large
You'll free me from that man-o-war if my heart does be true
Ah but then what would my own lovely Scotch la**ie do
For I have a la**ie in my own country
And I would not slight her for her poverty
If I were to slight her then my heart wouldn't be true
For she never left a stain on my jacket so blue
I'll write off to Dublin to an artist of sk**
And I'll have my love's picture drawn out in its full
And I'll place it in my chamber quite close to my view
And I'll say I loved a sailor with a heart that was true