And here's a version from Flanders


The Jolly Sailors
Oliver Jenness, York, ME 1941
Helen Hartness Flanders Collection
Transcription © Julia Lane 2015

And when they do get home at night they tell the girls sad tales
Of the long and tedious job they've had a-digging grass and weeds
And when darkness does come on it's into bed they'll crawl
While we poor jolly sailors stand many a bitter squall, squall
Stand many a bitter squall

And when the wind begins to blow and darkness then comes on
Our captain he cries out "Brave boys, all up from down below!"
And when we do all crowd on deck our goodly ship to guard
Our captain he cries out "Brave boys, down with topgallant yards, yards
Down with topgallant yards!"

But when our voyage is over and we finally get on shore
With bottles of good brandy we will make the taverns roar
We’ll spend our money freely on the girls we do adore
And when our money is all gone, we'll go to sea for more, more
We'll go to sea for more


The last verse was missing two lines so Fred Gosbee has mended it.