X:1
T:As Slow Our Ship
T:(Air--The Girl I Left Behind Me)
M:2/4
L:1/8
S:A Selection of Irish Melodies, vol. II, Dublin: Robinson and Bussell, n.d.[18??], pp. 145-48
K:Dm
f|d B A3/2 G/|A3/2 F/ D3/2 E/|F3/2 F/ F/G/ A/B/|c3/2B/ A f|
w:As slow our ship her foam-y track A-gainst the wind_ was_ cleav - ing, Her
d B A/ G3/2|A3/2 F/ D3/2 E/|F3/2 G/ A3/4G/4F/ E/|D2 D c|
w:trembl-ing pen-nant still look'd back To that dear isle__ 'twas leav-ing. So
A c d3/2 e/|f3/2 c/ A F|A3/2 c/ d e|f2 e f|
w:loath we part from all we love, From all the links that bind us, So
d B A3/2 G/|A3/2 F/ D3/2 E/|F3/2 G/ A3/4G/4F/ E/|D2 D z|]
w:turn our hearts, wher-e'er we rove, To those we've left__ be-hind us.

1. As slow our ship her foamy track
Against the wind was cleaving,
Her trembling pennant still look'd back
To that dear isle 'twas leaving.
So loath we part from all we love,
From all the links that bind us,
So turn our hearts, where'er we rove,
To those we've left behind us.

2. When round the bowl of vanish'd years
We talk, with joyous seeming,
And smiles, that might as well be tears,
So faint, so sad their beaming,
While mem'ry brings us back again
Each early tie that twin'd us,
Oh! sweet's the cup that circles then
To those we've left behind us!

3. And, when in other climes we meet
Some isle or vale enhanting,
Where all looks flow'ry, wild, and sweet,
And nought but love is wanting;
We think how great had been our bliss,
If Heav'n had but assign'd us
To live and die in scenes like this,
With some we've left behind us!

4. As trav'llers oft look back, at eve,
When eastward darkly going,
To gaze upon that light they leave
Still faint behind them glowing.
So, when the close of pleasure's day
To gloom hath near consign'd us,
We turn to catch one fading ray
Of joy that's left beind us!