Rocks of Scilly

Come all you jolly sailor boys
That plough the raging main,
Come listen to my tragedy
While I relate the same.
O I left my newly wedded bride
So well I did adore,
To the seas we were commanded
Where the lofty billows roar.

O bound to the East Indies,
Our course we then did steer,
And all the while I do think on
My lovely Molly dear.
Sometimes on decks, sometimes aloft
And when I'm down below,
But Molly she runs in my mind
For love commands me so.

O when our cargo we received,
Then we were outward bound,
It's little I thought it was my fate
On the Rocks of Scilly drowned.
On the Rocks of Scilly we were cast
Where the foaming billows roar,
Out of twenty noble sailor boys
But four did reach the shore.

O we had not been sailing,
Many days only seven
When a dismal storm did arise.
The raging seas run mountains high,
And dismal was the sky.
"O aloft, aloft," our captain cried,
"Ye hardy sailors brave,
Come reef your topsails, fore and aft,
Our ship and lives to save."

Then up speaks our bold captain,
"The first man does see land,
Five hundred pounds he will receive
Right into his hand."
Our boatswain's mate went up aloft,
All in the foretop high,
He spied around on every side
But no land could he spy.

Then out speaks our bold captain,
"We're drawing near the land,
Our ship and cargo we must save
As you may understand."
And all at once ahead of us
A light it did appear,
"Cheer up my hearty hearts of oak,
Some harbour must be near."

With our good ship before the wind
Thinking all dangers past,
It was us poor souls that fatal night
On the Rocks of Scilly cast.
The very first blow our good ship struck
Our captain he did cry,
Saying, "The Lord have mercy on our souls
For in the deep we'll die."

On the Rocks of Scilly we were cast
Our gallant ship and crew,
On the Rocks of Scilly we were cast,
Most dismal for to view.
When Molly heard the dreadful news
Her tender heart did break,
Like a faithful and fond lover died
For her true lover's sake.


Sung by Mr. Jas. Young, East Petpeswick.

Source: Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia, Helen Creighton and Doreen H. Senior (1950)

---

You'll notice the tune is quite different from the ones in the DT and ABC Tunefinder.

Click to play