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The Mermaid

from Songs of the Sea by GreenMatthews

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A song about the unluckiest sight of all for a sailor and the consequences..

lyrics

It was Friday morn when we set sail
And we were not far from land,
When our captain espied a mermaid so fair,
With a comb and a glass in her hand, her hand, her hand,
With a comb and a glass in her hand.

And the raging seas did roar,
And the stormy winds did blow,
And we jolly sailor lads were up, were up aloft,
And the land lubbers lying down below, below, below
And the land lubbers lying down below

Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship,
And a fine old man was he,
O this pretty mermaid has warned us of our doom
We shall sink to the bottom of the sea, the sea, the sea
We shall sink to the bottom of the sea

And the raging seas did roar,
And the stormy winds did blow,
And we jolly sailor lads were up, were up aloft,
And the land lubbers lying down below, below, below
And the land lubbers lying down below

Then spoke the mate of our gallant ship,
And a fine young man was he,
O I have a wife in Portsmouth by the sea
And tonight she a widow will be, will be, will be,
And tonight she a widow will be.

And the raging seas did roar,
And the stormy winds did blow,
And we jolly sailor lads were up, were up aloft,
And the land lubbers lying down below, below, below
And the land lubbers lying down below

And then up spoke the cabin boy,
And a bonny young lad was he;
O I have a sweetheart in fair Plymouth town,
And tonight she'll be weeping for me, for me, for me,
And tonight she'll be weeping for me

And the raging seas did roar,
And the stormy winds did blow,
And we jolly sailor lads were up, were up aloft,
And the land lubbers lying down below, below, below
And the land lubbers lying down below

Then up spoke the cook of our gallant ship
And a bloody old butcher was he
O I care much more for my pots and my pans
Than I do for the bottom of the sea, the sea, the sea
Than I do for the bottom of the sea

And the raging seas did roar,
And the stormy winds did blow,
And we jolly sailor lads were up, were up aloft,
And the land lubbers lying down below, below, below
And the land lubbers lying down below

Then three times round spun our gallant ship.
And three times round spun she;
And three times more spun our gallant ship,
And she sank to the bottom of the sea, the sea, the sea,
And she sank to the bottom of the sea.

And the raging seas did roar,
And the stormy winds did blow,
And we jolly sailor lads were up, were up aloft,
And the land lubbers lying down below, below, below
And the land lubbers lying down below

And the raging seas did roar,
And the stormy winds did blow,
And we jolly sailor lads were up, were up aloft,
And the land lubbers lying down below, below, below
And the land lubbers lying down below

credits

from Songs of the Sea, released July 31, 2023
Chris Green: voice, Appalachian dulcimer, mandocello, bass guitar

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GreenMatthews Coventry, UK

Chris Green and Sophie Matthews play English traditional songs and tunes in a thoroughly 21st-century kick-ass style. Using a blend of ancient instruments such as cittern, English bagpipes and shawm as well as modern folk instruments such as guitar, flute and piano accordion, they breathe new life into material from hundreds of years ago, making it fresh and relevant for a modern audience. ... more

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