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The WATER IS WIDE

Derived from the Scottish song "O Waly Waly"

Printed by Cecil Sharp 1906

​

CHORUS

The water is wide, I cannot get o’er
And neither have I wings to fly.
Build me a boat that can carry two

So both can row, my love and I.

​

A-down in the meadows the other day,
A-gath’ring flow’rs, both fine and gay,
A-gath’ring flowers, both red and blue,
I little thought what love could do.

CHORUS

I leaned my back up against an oak,
Thinking it was a trusty tree.
But first he bended and then he broke,
So did my love prove false to me.

CHORUS

Where love is planted, O there it grows,
It buds and blossoms like some rose;
It has a sweet and a pleasant smell,
No flow’r on earth can it excel.

CHORUS

Must I be bound, O and she go free!
Must I love one that does not love me!
Why should I act such a childish part,
And love a girl that will break my heart.

CHORUS

There is a ship sailing on the sea,
She’s loaded deep as deep can be,
But not so deep as in love I am;
I care not if I sink or swim.

CHORUS

O love is handsome and love is fine,
And love is charming when it is true;
As it grows old and it waxes cold
And fades away like the morning dew.

CHORUS

***

WHISKEY IN THE JAR

While the song's exact origins are unknown, a number of its lines and the general plot resemble those of a contemporary broadside ballad about Irish highwayman Patrick Fleming, who was executed in 1650

​
As I was a goin’ over

the far Kilgarry mountain
I met with Colonel Farrell,

and his money he was counting
I first produced me pistol,

and I then produced me rapier
Saying, stand you, and deliver,

for you were a bold deceiver

(Chorus)
Mush-a ring-do-rum-dom do-rum-a da
Wack fol the daddy-o,

wack fol the daddy-o
There’s whiskey in the jar

I counted out his money,

and it made a pretty penny
I put it in me pocket,

and I took it home to Jenny
She sighed and swore  

that she never would deceive me
But the devil take the women,

for they never can be easy
(Chorus)


I went up to me chamber,

all for to take a slumber
I dreamt of gold and jewels,

and for sure it was no wonder
But Jenny drew me charges,

and she filled them up with water
Then sent for Colonel Farrell

to be ready for the slaughter
(Chorus)

It was early in the morning,

just before I rose to travel
Up comes a band of footmen,

and likewise Colonel Farrell
I first produced me pistol,

for she’d stolen away me rapier
I couldn’t shoot the water,

so a prisoner I was taken
(Chorus)


They put me in prison

 with the judge all a-writin'
For robbing Colonel Farrell

up on far  Kilgarry Mountain,
But they didn't take my fists,

so I knocked the sentry down
And bid farewell to gaol,

in good ol' Sligo town

(Chorus)

If anyone can aid me,

‘tis me brother in the army
If I can find his station,

in Cork or in Killarney
And if he’ll go with me,

we’ll go roamin’ in Killkenny
And I’m sure he’ll treat me better

than me darlin' sportin' Jenny
(Chorus)

Next mornin’ early

at the barracks in Killarney
My brother took his leave,

but he did not tell the army
Our horses they were speedy,

it’s all over but the shoutin’
And now we wait for strangers

up on far Kilgarry mountain
(Chorus)

There’s some take delight i

carriages a-rolling
And others take delight

in the hurling and the bowling
But I take delight

in the juice of the barley
And courting pretty fair maids

in the morning bright and early
(Chorus)

​

***

W

WAY DOWN IN DIXIE

  (Modulate each verse)

​

Way down in Dixie,

in Dixie land where I was born

Sing a song, roll along, roll…

 

Way down in Dixie,

in Dixie land I had a gal

Sing a song, roll along, roll…

​

Way down in Dixie,

and her name was Tops’l Nel

Sing a song, roll along, roll…

​

Way down in Dixie,

she done me dirty, she done me wrong,

Sing a song, roll along, roll…

 

Way down in Dixie,

she ran off with the Circus clown

Sing a song, roll along, roll…

​

Way down in Dixie,

with my marlinspike I done him down

Sing a song, roll along, roll…

 

All: Way down in Dixie,

in Dixieland where I was born

Sing a song, roll along, roll.

***

THE WELLERMAN 

 

There once was a ship that put to sea
The name of the ship was the Billy O' Tea
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down
Oh blow, my bully boys, blow (huh)

 

CHORUS: Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go

 

She'd not been two weeks from shore
When down on her a right whale bore
The captain called all hands and swore
He'd take that whale in tow

CHORUS

Before the boat had hit the water
The whale's tail came up and caught her
All hands to the side,

harpooned and fought her
When she dived down low (huh)

CHORUS

No line was cut, no whale was freed
The captain's mind was not of greed
And he belonged

to the Whaleman's creed
She took that ship in tow

CHORUS

For forty days or even more
The line went slack then tight once more
All boats were lost, there were only four
But still that whale did go (huh)

CHORUS

As far as I've heard, the fight's still on
The line's not cut, and the whale's not gone
The Wellerman makes his regular call
To encourage the captain, crew and all

CHORUS: 2 X to fin.

***

WILD ROVER  ~  aka NO, NAY, NEVER

 

I've been a wild rover for many a year
And I've spent all my money

on whiskey and beer
Now I'm returning with

gold in great store
And I never will play

the wild rover no more

 

CHORUS:

And it's no, nay, never (4 claps)
No, nay, never, no more (2 claps)
Shall l play the wild rover (1 clap)
No never, no more

 

I went to an alehouse I used to frequent
I told the landlady my money was spent
I asked her for credit,

she answered me, "Nay"
Says, "Custom like yours,

I can have any day"

 

CHORUS:

 

I took from my pocket

ten sovereigns bright
And the landlady's eyes

opened wide with delight
She said, "I have whiskeys

and wines of the best
And the words that I told you

were only in jest"

 

CHORUS:

 

I'll go home to my parents,

confess what I've done
And I'll ask them to pardon

their prodigal son
And if they caress me

as oft-times before
I never will play

the wild rover no more

 

CHORUS: Twice

***

WE'LL RANT AND WE'LL ROAR

~ For Cortez Fishing Village

​

Oh, I’ve been a sea-cook

and I’ve been a fisherman,

I can sing, I can dance,

I can walk the jib boom.

I can handle a cast net

and cut a fine figure,

Whenever I get in a

boat’s standing room.


CHORUS

We’ll rant and we’ll roar

like true Cortez Fishermen,

We’ll rant and we’ll roar

on deck and below,

Until we see bottom

inside Longboat Channel,

And… straight up the inside

to Cortez we’ll go.

​

I went to a dance one night in Palmetto

There was plenty of girls there

as fine as you’d wish.

There was one pretty maiden

a-chewing tobacco,

Just like a young kitten

a-chewing fresh fish.

Chorus

​

Here’s a health to the girls

of old Cortez Village,

A health to the maidens

of far-off St. Pete.

And let you be merry,

don’t be melancholy,

I can’t marry youse all

or in a pokey I’d be.

​

We’ll rant and we’ll roar like

true Cortez Fishermen,

We’ll rant and we’ll roar

on deck and below,

Until we see bottom

inside Longboat Channel,

And… straight up the inside

to Cortez we’ll go.

***

WILD MOUNTAIN THYME

From the poem "The Braes of Balquhidder" by

Robert Tannahill.

 

Oh, the summertime is coming,

And the leaves are sweetly blooming.

And the wild mountain thyme

grows among the blooming Heather...

Will you go Lassie go.

 

CHORUS: And we'll all go together

to pluck wild mountain thyme…

All around the blooming heather…

will ye go lassie go.

 

I will build my love a bower

On yon clear and crystal fountain...

And upon it I shall pile

all the flowers of the mountain...

Will ye go lassie go.

 

CHORUS:

 

If my true love should leave,

I shall surely find no other...

To pluck wild mountain thyme,

All around the blooming heather...

Will you go lassie go.

 

 (INSTRUMENTAL / OPTIONAL)

 

I will range through the wilds

And the deep land so dreary

And return with the spoils

To the bower o' my dearie...

Will ye go lassie go

 

CHORUS:

fin:  Will ye go Lassie, will ye go.

***

The WRECK OF THE NANCY LEE

        by Arthur LeClerq 1931
 

I'll tell you the tale of the Nancy Lee,
The ship that got shipwrecked at sea
The bravest man was Captain Brown,
'Cause he played his ukulele

as the ship went down.

 

Chorus:
All the crew was in despair,
Some rushed here and

some rushed there,
But the Captain sat

in the Captain's chair,
And he played his ukulele

as the ship went down.

Chorus

The Captain said to Seaman Jones:
"You'd best put on your working clothes
While you stand and spray your hose
I can play me ukulele

as the ship goes down."

Chorus

The owners signaled to the crew,

saying:"Do the best

that you can do.
We're only insured for half-a-crown,
We'll be out of pocket

if the ship goes down."

Chorus

The Captain's wife

was on board ship,
And he was very glad of it
But she could swim

and she might not drown
So we tied her to the anchor

as the ship went down.

Chorus​

The crow's nest fell

and killed the crow,
The starboard watch

was two hours slow
But the Captain sang

fal-oh-de-oh-doh
And he played his ukulele

as the ship went down.

Chorus

***

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