A ship’s crew of sailors as you may understand Bound for the West Indies or some foreign land There’s one lad amongst them I wish I never knew He’s my bonnie, bonnie sailor with a jacket so blue
The first time I saw my love he’d a spy glass in his hand I went to talk to him but he would not stand I went to talk to him but from me he flew And my heart it went along with him and his jacket so blue
Says I my noble sailor I’ll buy your discharge I’ll free you from sailing and set you at large I’ll free you from that man-o-war if your heart does be true And I’d never let a stain on your jacket so blue
Well said I my noble lady you’ll buy my discharge You’ll free me from sailing and set me at large You’ll free me from that man-o-war if my heart does be true Ah but then what would my own lovely Scotch lassie do
For I have a lassie in my own country And I would not slight her for her poverty If I were to slight her then my heart wouldn’t be true For she never left a stain on my jacket so blue
I’ll write off to Dublin to an artist of skill And I’ll have my love’s picture drawn out in its full And I’ll place it in my chamber quite close to my view And I’ll say I loved a sailor with a heart that was true