I have found an original advertisment (for Bromo-Seltzer) with sheet music for piano & organ that has "Our Jack's Come Home To-Day" the sea version.

It's the same as Malcolm gives in his link to the Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads & very close to what asirovedout gives except for the repeating lines at the end of each verse. But in my sheet music copy it gives W J Devers the credit as author. I believe from all that I can find online that this perticular version is a turn of the last century popular song???

Any one know Devers is the true author? It seems that there are older versions or more history to this one.


OUR JACK'S COME HOME TODAY (sea version)

1. Our Jack's come home from sea to-day,
And brown and bronz'd is he.
For many a year he's been away
From his home, his love, and me;
Yet his heart is true as it was of old,
His spirits light and gay.
You little know the joy we felt
When he came home to-day.
You little know the joy we felt
When he came home to-day.

CHORUS: Our Jack's come home to-day.
Our Jack's come home to-day.
The good ship Jane's in port again.
Our Jack's come home to-day.

2. Our Jack's come home from sea to-day,
And a jovial tar is he.
Full many a tale of storm and gale
He recounts with careless glee;
And of sights he's seen in lands he's been,
So strange, so far away.
All danger's past; he's safe at last.
Our Jack's come home to-day.
All danger's past; he's safe at last.
Our Jack's come home to-day.

3. Our Jack's come home from sea to-day
To make his Nell his wife [sic; should be "bride" to rhyme].
With loving faith she ne'er despair'd
Tho' all hope within us died;
Yet her eye grew dim; her cheek grew pale;
She slowly pined away,
But the lovely bloom's on her face again.
Her Jack's come home to-day.
But the lovely bloom's on her face again
Her Jack's come home to-day.


Thanks all
Barry