Adieu, sweet lovely Nancy, ten thousand times adieu I'm a-going round the ocean, love, to seek for something new Come change your ring with me, dear girl, come change your ring with me, For it might be a token of true love while I am on the sea.
And when I am far upon the sea, who knows not where I am Kind letters I will write to you from every foreign land The secrets of your heart, dear girl, are the best of my good will So let my body be where it might, my heart will be with you still.
There's a heavy storm arising, see how it comes around While we poor sailors are on the sea, a-fighting for the crown There's nothing to defend us, love, nor to keep us from the cold On the ocean wide, where we must bide like jolly seamen bold. Our officer commanded us, and him we must obey Expecting every moment all to get cast away.
There are tinkers, tailors, and shoemakers, lie snoring in their sleep While we poor souls on the ocean wide are a-plowing through the deep
But when the wars are over, there'll be peace on every shore We will drink to our wives and our children, and the girls that we adore We'll call for liquor merrily, and spend out money free And when the money it is all gone, we'll boldly go to sea.