Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy
Here's adieu, sweet lovely Nancy, ten thousand times adieu,
I'm a-going across the ocean, love, to seek for something new.
Come change your ring with me, dear girl, Come change your ring with me,
For it might be a token of true love while I am on the sea.When I'm far upon the sea you know not where I am.
Kind letters I will write to you from every foreign land.
The secrets of your heart, dear girl, Are the best of my good will,
So let my body be where it might, my heart shall be with you still.There's a heavy storm a-rising, see how it gathers round,
While we poor souls on the ocean wide are fighting for the crown.
There's nothing to protect us, love, Or to keep us from the cold,
On the ocean wide, where we must bide like jolly seamen bold.There's tinkers, tailors, shoemakers, lie snoring fast asleep,
While we poor souls on the ocean wide are ploughing through the deep.
Our officers commanding us and them we must obey,
Expecting every moment for to get cast away.But when the wars are all over there'll be peace on every shore,
We'll return to our wives and our families and the girls that we adore.
We'll will call for liquor merrily, We will spend our money free,
And when the money it is all gone we'll boldly go to sea.
"Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy" is sung by Jill and Jon on the first Coppersongs LP. It's printed in The Copper Family Song Book and in Bob Copper's book, A Song for Every Season.Bob Copper's beautiful manual transcription of the tune - from The Copper Family Song Book
New: 29 November 1998 | Now: 3 November 2001 | Garry Gillard fecit