Lyrics:

In London so fair a lady she lived there
A lady of great beauty and great might
And unto this lady fair I became a servant there
And in me she took great delight

This lady had a son of mirth and beauty born
And he became a sailor on the sea
And he courted a fair maid 'til he had her heart betrayed
And then he was bound for the sea

It happened one day in the cabin where he lay
And the tears from her eyes they did flow
Saying 'Young man you're going away so far from me to stray
And to leave me on the shore for to mourn'

'Ah no, no' says he 'such things can never be
For as long as I'm a sailor on the sea
The ship that I command may she never reach the land
The day that I'd be false love onto thee'

She cut off her yellow hair that hung down her back so fair
For fear that anybody would know
And in a sailor's dress that very night she went
And straight to the captain she did go

She being neat and slim complete in every limb
And the clothes fitted tightly to her knee
As the crew did on her gaze the captain to her says
'Young man were you ever on the sea?'

'Ah no, no' says she 'I was never on the sea
But fit me as a young sailor bold
For I now do choose to go where the stormy winds do blow
To purchase some silver and some gold'

It happened one day in the cabin where he lay
And the tears from his eyes they did flow
Saying 'You're like a lover of mine I think of many's the time
I left on the shore long ago'

'Ah no, no' says she 'such things can never be
For as long as I'm a sailor on the sea
The ship that I command may she never reach the land
The day that I'd be false love onto thee'

His own words he knew he spoke beneath the crew
And into her arms he flew like a dove
Saying 'Do not shed a tear you followed me my dear
And it's married it's married we will be'

They sent for a clerk they sent for a mate
They sent for a clergyman likewise
And this couple they were wed and together they to bed
And now they're living happy on the sea