Three recordings, two "Do Me Ama", the first sung by A. L. Lloyd and the second by Martin Carthy. The third, Jacky Tar, is sung by Eliza Carthy. I've just found another beautiful recording of this song, by Ewan MacColl, on the Argo Lp "Ye Mariners All". When I get the text, I'll post it. Roberto


a) Do Me Ama
A. L. Lloyd, in Ewan MacColl & A. L. Lloyd, Blow, Boys, Blow, Tradition TCD 1024 (original LP release: Tradition TLP 1026), 196?

As a sailor was walking one fine summer day
The squire and the lady were making their way
And Jackie heard the squire say
"Tonight with you, love, I mean to lay"

With me do me ama dee me ama do me ama day

"You must tie a string all around your finger
With the other end of the string hanging out the window
And I'll step by and I'll pull the string
And you must come down,love,and let me in"

Says Jack to himself, "I've a mind to try
To see if a poor sailor, he can win that prize."
So he slipped by and he pulled the string
And the lady come down and she let ol' Jack in...

When the squire come by, he was humming this song
Thinkin' to himself how it wouldn't be long
But when he got there no string he found
And behold his hopes all dashed aground

Early next morning, it was just getting light
The lady jumped up in bed in a terrible fright
But there lay Jack in his stripy shirt
His hands all covered with tar and dirt...

"Oh what do you want, you dirty sailor
Breakin' in a lady's bedroom to steal her treasure!"
"Oh no", says Jack, "I've just pulled the string
And you did come down, ma'am, and let me in..."

Says Jack to the lady, "Oh, forgive me I pray!
I'll steal away very quiet at the dawn of the day."
"Oh no", says the lady, "Don't stray too far
For I never will part from my jolly Jack Tar!"

With me do me ama dee me ama do me ama day


b) Domeama
Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick, Byker Hill, Topic TSCD341 (1991), previously released as Topic 12TS341 (LP, 1977); first lp release, Fontana STL 5434 Fontana STL 5434 (LP, 1967)

As Jack went out walking all on a fine day
A squire and his lady came a-walking that way
Jack heard him to the lady say
Tonight with you love I mean to lay
With me doomeama deemeama doomeama day

Just tie the string all around your finger
And let the other end dangle down from your window
And I'll come by and I'll pull the string
And you come down love and let me in
With me doomeama deemeama doomeama day

Jack says to himself, I've a mind for to try
And see if a poor sailor he can't win that prize
So Jack walked by and he pulled the string
And she come down and she let old Jack in
With his doomeama deemeama doomeama day

Now the squire he came a-riding he was singing a song
He was thinking to himself how it wouldn't be long
But when he got to the window no string he found
And behold his hopes was all dashed to the ground
And his doomeama deemeama doomeama day

It was early next morning it was just getting light
The lady sat up with a terrible fright
For there lay Jack in his tarry old shirt
An' Behold his face was all covered in dirt
And his doomeama deemeama doomeama day

Oh what do you want, Oh you tarry sailor
A-stealing in a lady's chamber to steal her treasure!
Oh no, says Jack, I just pulled your string
And you come down love and let me in
With me doomeama deemeama doomeama day

Jack says to the lady, Your pardon I pray
And I'll steal away very quiet at the break of the day
Oh no, she says, don't you go too far
For I never will part from me jolly Jack Tar
And his doomeama deemeama doomeama day


c) Jacky Tar
Eliza Carthy, Heat Light & Sound, Topic TSCD 482, 1996

Well, a young Jacky Tar out one day a-walking,
He heard a squire and the lady talking.
Jack heard him to the lady say
"Tonight with you, love, I mean to lay"
Fol la la doo, right falero, right fol lol a doo.

"Just tie a string all around your finger
Let the other end dangle down from your window,
And I'll come by, pull on the string
You come down and you'll let me in,
Fol la la doo, right falero, right fol lol a doo.

"Damn me", says Jack, "Oh, why don't I fetch her,
See if a poor sailor can't win this treasure."
So he went by, pulled on the string
She came down and she let him in
Fol la la doo, right falero, right fol lol a doo.

The squire came by, he whistling a song-a,
Thinking to himself how it wouldn't be long-a,
But when he got there, no string he found
Behold, his hopes were all dashed to the ground
Fol la la doo, right falero, right fol lol a doo.

Jack lay in her arms all the livelong night-a
And she woke up in a terrible fright-a!
For there lay Jack in his tarry shirt
Behold, his face was all covered with dirt
Fol la la doo, right falero, right fol lol a doo.

"Why what d'ya want, oh you nasty sailor
Stealing in my chamber to steal my treasure?"
"Oh no," he says, "I pulled on the string
You came down and you let me in"
Fol la la doo, right falero, right fol lol a doo.

And then, says Jack, "Why I beg your pardon
But I'll steal off quiet first thing in the morning."
"Oh no!" she says, "Don't you go far
For I never will part from my little Jack Tar
Fol la la doo, right falero, right fol lol a doo.

Well, a young Jacky Tar out one day a-walking,
He heard a squire and the lady talking.
Jack heard him to the lady say
"Tonight with you, love, I mean to lay."
Fol la la doo, right falero, right fol lol a doo.