traditional

Sing ho for a brave and a gallant ship
With a fair and favorin’ breeze
With a goodly crew and a captain too
To carry me over the seas
To carry me over the seas, me boys
To me true love far away
I’m taking a trip on a government ship ten thousand miles away.

Chorus:
And sing blow, me bully boys, blow, a-rovin’ I will go
I’ll stay no more on Erin’s shore to hear the fiddlers play
I’m off on the bounding main and I won’t be back again
I’m taking a trip on a government ship ten thousand miles away

Oh, me true love she was beautiful
Me true love she was young
Her eyes were like the diamonds bright
And silvery was her tongue
And silvery was her tongue, me boys
But now she’s far away
And doing the grand in a distant land ten thousand miles away.

Chorus

Oh, dark and dismal was the day
When last I seen me Meg
She’d a government band around each hand
And another one around her leg
And another one around her leg, me boys
And fifty pounds they weigh
“Adieu,” said she, “remember me ten thousand miles away.”

Chorus

Oh, I wish I was a bosun bold
Or even a bombardier
I’d build a boat and away I’d float
And straight for me true love steer
And straight for me true love steer, me boys
Where the dancin’ dolphins play
Where the whales and sharks have all of their larks ten thousand miles away.

Chorus

Oh, the sun might shine through a London fog
Or the river run quite clear
Or the ocean brine might turn to wine
Or I’ll forget me beer (OH NO!)
Or I’ll forget me beer, me boys
Or the landlord’s quarter-day
But I won’t forget me own true Meg ten thousand miles away

Chorus x2

We perform this song in the key of B.

The song is about getting sent off to a penal colony in Botany Bay. “Erin”, of course, is another name for Ireland.