LOVELY ON THE WATER.

There are a couple of old threads (2001-ish) with versions of the words, but I don't know how to do blickies to them. My version is essentially from A L Lloyd's 'Folk Songs in England' book, modified by Tony Rose's version on 'Bare Bones' and strained through my own 'creative process':

As I roved out one morning,
In the springtime of the year,
I overheard a sailor,
Likewise a lady fair.

And they sang a song together,
Made the valley for to ring,
And the birds above, in the meadows gay,
Proclaimed a lovely spring.

Said the sailor to his true love,
"We soon must sail away,
For it's lovely on the water,
All to hear the music play."

And said William unto Nancy,
"I soon must sail away,
But if I had my will, my love,
It's along with you I'd stay."

But our Queen she do want sailors,
So we must leave the shore,
And we must face our foes, my love,
Where the cannons loud do roar.

And Tower Hill is crowded,
With women weeping sore,
For husbands, sons and sweethearts,
Gone to face the cannons' roar.

So come change your ring with me, love,
That we might meet once more,
May heaven above protect my love,
While the cannons loud do roar.

And said the sailor to his true love,
"I now must sail away,
But it's lovely on the water,
For to hear the music play."

Andrew