As sung by Barry and Neil on
Finn & Haddie Fathom This   Note at the end regarding where Barry learned it. The lyrics are somewhat different from what Barry posted above, and he gives a few more source references.

Good-Bye My Lover Good-Bye

as led by Barry Finn on Fathom This © 2007
Barry Finn and Neil Downey
He came on board with his Sunday clothes,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!
His Sunday hat an' his Sunday hose,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

Good-bye, good-bye, my love,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

A farmer boy stood on the deck,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!
He's eatin' peanuts by the peck,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

Good-bye, good-bye, my love,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

He should a-stayed with his mules an' plow,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!
He thinks the rudder's in the bow,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

Good-bye, good-bye, my love,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

He walks the deck with his farmer's feet,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!
He don't know a halyard from a sheet,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

Good-bye, good-bye, my love,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

He thinks himself a hell of a tar,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!
As he pushes around the caps'n bar,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

Good-bye, good-bye, my love,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

When the night winds blow an' the seas do roar,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!
He'll curse the day he left the shore,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

Good-bye, good-bye, my love,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

When the green seas roll across our deck,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!
He'll pray for the Lord to save his neck,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

Good-bye, good-bye, my love,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

When the old ship rolls all day an' night,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!
It'll turn his face green, blue an' white,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

Good-bye, good-bye, my love,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

When he has to go aloft at night,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!
He'll soil his drawers in his awful fright,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

Good-bye, good-bye, my love,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

He'll know aloft from down below,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!
Before we reach Buffalo,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

Good-bye, good-bye, my love,
Good-bye, my lover, good-bye!

Barry first became familiar with this song from his friends Peter Kasin and Richard Adrianowicz's CD Boldly from the Westward - Songs of the Sea. Versions of this Great Lakes capstan shanty can be found in Colcord, Tozer and Hugill's collections. Hugill saw it as probably being of "Negro" origin.