"Well met, well met, my own true love
Well met, well met," cried she
"I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee
"I could have married the king's daughter there
And she would have married me
But I've forsaken my king's daughter there
And it's all for the love of thee"
"If you could have married a king's daughter there
I'm sure you're the one to blame
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I'm sure he's a fine young man"
"Forsake, forsake your house carpenter
And come along with me
I'll take you where the green grass grows
On the shores of sunny Italy"
Come along, for the memories are strong
Take me home to the place I belong
And up she picked her babies three
Gave them kisses, one two three
Saying "take good care of your Daddy when I'm gone
Keep him good company"
They were sailing about two weeks
I'm sure it was not three
When the youngest of the girls, she came on deck
Saying "what's company?"
"Are you weeping for your house and your home
Is that where you long to be?"
"No I'm not weeping for my house carpenter
I'm weeping for my babies three"
Come along...
"What are those hills yonder my love
They look as white as snow"
"Those are the hills of Heaven, my love
That you and I'll never know"
"What are those hills yonder my love
They look as dark as night"
"Those are the hills of hell-fire my love
Where you and I will unite"
Twice around went the gallant ship
I'm sure, it was not three
When the ship all of a sudden it sprung a leak
And drifted to the bottom of the sea
Come along...
Well met, well met," cried she
"I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee
"I could have married the king's daughter there
And she would have married me
But I've forsaken my king's daughter there
And it's all for the love of thee"
"If you could have married a king's daughter there
I'm sure you're the one to blame
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I'm sure he's a fine young man"
"Forsake, forsake your house carpenter
And come along with me
I'll take you where the green grass grows
On the shores of sunny Italy"
Come along, for the memories are strong
Take me home to the place I belong
And up she picked her babies three
Gave them kisses, one two three
Saying "take good care of your Daddy when I'm gone
Keep him good company"
They were sailing about two weeks
I'm sure it was not three
When the youngest of the girls, she came on deck
Saying "what's company?"
"Are you weeping for your house and your home
Is that where you long to be?"
"No I'm not weeping for my house carpenter
I'm weeping for my babies three"
Come along...
"What are those hills yonder my love
They look as white as snow"
"Those are the hills of Heaven, my love
That you and I'll never know"
"What are those hills yonder my love
They look as dark as night"
"Those are the hills of hell-fire my love
Where you and I will unite"
Twice around went the gallant ship
I'm sure, it was not three
When the ship all of a sudden it sprung a leak
And drifted to the bottom of the sea
Come along...