Lyr Add: Watchet Sailor

Subject: Lyr Add: WATCHET SAILOR
From:
Date: 26 Oct 04 - 07:33 PM

Hi I am looking for the title of a song that I have the lyrics for but cannot find the song anywhere on the net as it is written.

A general walking down fair London Street
One of his old comrades he chanced for to meet.
Good morning but a shipmate you are welcome home.
All in the right season I think you have come.

Can't you remember when you once courted a maid
And boy your long hat she is going to be wed,
For tomorrow at Bristol there is a wedding to be
And I am invited for to give her away.

Jack thanked his old comrade with all of his heart
To think how well he had acted his part.
I will go and get a license tonight if I can
And tomorrow at Bristol I will wait till she comes.

Jack went and got license that very same night
Started off the next morning as soon as it was light.
At the churchyard in Bristol he awaited a while
When he saw the bride a coming he started to smile.

Jack stepped up unto her taking her by the hand
You are going to be married as I understand,
But if ever you gets married you are going to be mine
For I did come here love to box your design.

Then some girl fell distracted not knowing what to do.
I'm ruined I'm ruined forever she cried.
But the sailor is my true love and I'll be his bride.
Not a tailor in this country will I marry beside.

The young tailor fell distracted not knowing what to do.
I'm ruined I'm ruined forever he cried.
This young tailor fell distracted not knowing what to do.
Went to church to get married turned home like a fool.

Come all ye young tailors wherever you may be.
Don't trust these young girls of any degree.
But all of god's sweethearts marry them while you may.
Yes those blooming tarpaulins will steal them away.

Subject: RE: Folklore: looking for the title of song
From: Lighter
Date: 26 Oct 04 - 07:39 PM

Usually called "The Watchet Sailor." First lines are usually "As Jack was a-walking down Watchet's Swain [?] Street,/ An old brother shipmate he happened to meet."

Collected by Cecil Sharp, recorded by The Yetties on LP "All at Sea."

Subject: RE: Folklore: looking for the title of song
From:
Date: 26 Oct 04 - 08:33 PM

Thank you for your help

Subject: RE: looking for the title of song (Watchet Sailor)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Oct 04 - 09:17 PM

The Sailor and the Tailor (2) in the Digital Tradition is a near-exact copy of Sharp's "Watchet Sailor." Our other Sailor/Tailor song is quite different, I think. Here's the entry on this song from the Traditional Ballad Index:

Sailor and the Tailor, The [Laws P4]

DESCRIPTION: A girl and a sailor agree to marry after he finishes his voyage. When he returns, he finds that she will soon marry a tailor. He meets them and persuades the girl to change her mind
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1916
KEYWORDS: sailor wedding infidelity rejection love
FOUND IN: Britain(England) US(MA) Canada(Mar)
REFERENCES (5 citations):
Laws P4, "The Sailor and the Tailor"
Sharp-100E 73, "The Watchet Sailor" (1 text, 1 tune)
Creighton/Senior, pp. 167-168, "Jack the Sailor" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT 492, SAILTAIL
cf. Gardner/Chickering, p. 482, "The Sailor and the Tailor" (source notes only)
Roud #917
File: LP04

---

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2004 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

Subject: Lyr Add: JACK THE SAILOR / THE TAILOR'S LAMENT
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Oct 04 - 09:30 PM

Jack the Sailor
(also known as "The Tailor's Lament")

As I was a-walking down fair London street
A jolly young sailor I chanced for to meet
Welcome home brother sailor, it's very well known
_ _ _ _ _Jack it's high time you came (sic)

"Don't you remember of courting a maid,
And by your long absence she's going to be wed,
And to-morrow embrace for the wedding's to be,
And I am invited the same for to see."

O Jack, he turns round, gave a laugh and a smile,
"Who knows, but to-morrow the fun I might spoil?"
O Jack, he gets up, oh that very same night,
And went and bought license before it was light.

Was in the churchyard, Jack tarried a while,
When he saw the young couple it caused him to smile,
It was in the churchyard where Jack tarried a while,
When he saw those young couple it caused him to smile.

Jack walks up to her, took her by the hand,
"You're going to be wed, love, as I understand,
But I am resolved that to baulk your design,
And I am determined that you shall be mine."

The lady cries out, "O what shall I do?
I know I been faithfully promised to you,
O the sailor's my fancy and I'll be his bride,
No other man living shall lie by my side."

The tailor cries out like one that was mad,
"I'm ruined, I'm ruined, I'm ruined," he cried,
For he did not know how his passion to rule,
Went in like an ass and came out like a fool.

Come all you young couples who live by the sea,
Beware of your sailor returning from sea,
If you're courting a girl, marry her right away,
Or some jolly young sailor might steal her away.

Sung by Mr. Dennis Smith, East Chezzetcook, Mr. Garvie Young, West Chezzetcook, and Mr. Thomas Young, East Petpeswick.


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

Subject: RE: looking for the title of song (Watchet Sailor)
From: Big Mick
Date: 27 Oct 04 - 12:48 AM

Six minutes to the first answer, less than 2 hours to a complete workup. Gawd but I love this place!! Nicely done, folks.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: looking for the title of song (Watchet Sailor)
From: Snuffy
Date: 27 Oct 04 - 08:50 AM

Similar theme to THE UNFORTUNATE TAILOR/I'LL GO AND ENLIST FOR A SAILOR where it's the tailor lamenting losing the girl to the matlow

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Watchet Sailor
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 12 - 02:53 AM

pls can i have song???? I need it for a singing comp.
Isha

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Watchet Sailor
From: Charmion
Date: 06 Oct 12 - 04:50 PM

Take it and be welcome. Sing it in good health.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Watchet Sailor
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 04 Mar 17 - 01:53 PM

Would anyone happen to have the chords for the Watchet Sailor please?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Watchet Sailor
From: punkfolkrocker
Date: 05 Mar 17 - 12:40 AM

I just read those lyrics..
just because they are old and folk dont mean they aint crap..

i have childhood memories of watchet 50 years ago..

a cidered up rock n roll teddy boy uncle and live eels in swimming trunks..

that'd be a good folk song 200 years from now...

and 20 years ago young women in white underwear that turned transparent when wet...

that's the stuff of new folk songs..

oh and fossils in the mud rock...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Watchet Sailor
From: Greum
Date: 23 Apr 21 - 09:52 AM

Can anyone help work out the chords. I've created the song in ABC notation but I'm struggling to figure out the chords apart from the initial Am.

X:1
T:The Watchet Sailor
C:Traditional
M:3/4
L:1/4
K:Am
E | "Am"A A A | c E F | G A G | E2
w:As I was a wal-king down Wat-chet Swain Street
C | G A G | G E C | D C D | E2
w:A jol-ly old ship-mate I chanced for to meet
B | c B c | d c d | e c A | (A G)
w:"Hel-lo bro-ther sail-or you're wel-come to home_
E | F E D | E A G | A c B | A2
w:In sea-son to Wat-chet I think you are come."

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Watchet Sailor
From: GUEST,brooko
Date: 23 Apr 21 - 01:03 PM

I've got a version of watchet sailor on a cd by David Milton, called songs from the bell man. he is the watchet town crier

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Watchet Sailor
From: Black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 23 Apr 21 - 01:16 PM

I first came across this at an early age, on "Singing Together", in primary school, in Watchet. It gave the song an added interest.
The current spelling (and as far back as I can remember) is Swain street.

Robin