JOE LIVERMORE

[Sung by Mr. Hiram O. Hilshie, Dartmouth; transcribed by Helen Creighton in Songs and Ballads from Nova Scotia, first published 1932]

Come sit down beside me, come listen awhile,
I'll sing you a song that will cause you to smile
About this old villain, he's very well known,
And he sails the Columbia from Eastport town.

Chorus.
Singing down, down derry down.

As we said from Eastport when we first left the land
With watery eye as we sailed from the strand,
This old villain would holler and bawl,
"Then lay aft, ye damn lubbers, and give us a haul."    Cho.

When we got to Eastport it was on the lucky day,
Each man took his chest and no longer would stay,
If we can't do no better, boys, we'll stay on the shore
And we'll never go to sea with old Joe Livermore.    Cho.

Now he says, if you want to hear any more of this rogue,
Look under his coat and you'll see the old foge'.
He has a snuff-colourred coat and he's known very well,
He has a thing on his nose what they call the hotel.    Cho.