From the broadside at the Bodleian Library, Firth c.26(152):

THE MERMAN

1. ‘Twas in the month of January, away in the southern seas.
Our ship lay at anchor near a coral reef, a-waiting for a breeze.
Our captain he was down below, and the men lay all about,
When from under our bow we heard a shout and then a regular shout.

CHORUS: Blow ye winds, I-oh; blow ye winds y’heave ho!
Clear away the morning dew, and blow ye winds, I-oh!

2. “A man overboard!” the watch cried out, and forward all of us run,
When hanging on to our best bower chain was a jolly old bluff merman.
His hair was red; his eyes was black, and his mouth as large as three,
And the long green tail he sat upon was a-waddling down in the sea.

3. “Hallo!” our mate called out as bold as brass. “What cheer, messmate?” said he.
“Well, I want to see your noble captain; I’ve a question to ask of he.”
Our captain then he came on deck and looked at the waters blue,
Saying, “Tell me, my man, as fast as you can: what favour can I do for you?”

4. “You’ve dropped your anchor right afore my house and blocked up my only door,
And my wife can’t get out to roam about nor my chicks one, two, three and four.
‘Twould break your heart to hear them groan and hear the row they’ve had with me,
For I’ve been out all the night at a small tea fight at the bottom of the deep blue sea.”

5. “The anchor shall be hove at once and your wife and chicks set free,
But I never saw a fish from a sprat to a whale till now that could speak to me.
Your figurehead’s like a sailor bold; you speak like an Englishman,
But where the d----l did you get that wonderful tail? Come tell me as fast as you can.”

6. “A long time ago, from the ship ‘Hero,’ I fell overboard in a gale,
And I found down below where the seaweeds grow, I saw such a lovely girl with a tail.
She saved my life and I made her my wife and my legs changed instantly,
For I married a mermaid at the bottom of the deep blue sea.”