Henry's Songbook

Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy

• Trad

Adieu, sweet lovely Nancy, ten thousand times adieu
I'm a-going around 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'm far upon the sea you know 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 your body be where it might, my heart will be with you still

There's a heavy storm a-rising, see how it gathers round
While we poor souls on the ocean wide are fighting for the Crown
There is nothing to protect us, love, or keep us from the cold
On the ocean wide where we must bide like jolly seamen bold

There's tinkers, tailors, shoemakers lie snoring fast asleep
While we poor souls on the ocean wide are ploughing through the deep
Our officers commanded us, and them we must obey
Expecting every moment for to get cast away

But when the wars are over there'll be peace on every shore
We'll return to our wives and our families and the girls that we adore
We'll call for liquor merrily and spend our money free
And when our money is all gone we'll boldly go to sea

(as sung by Tim Hart & Maddy Prior)

Susannes Folksong-Notizen

•   [2003:] The Copper family of Rottingdean on the Sussex coast of southern England are probably unique in that they have a family singing tradition going back 200 years (they can also trace their family in the area back to 1611). Rottingdean was a downland farming village which employed people in farming and, to a lesser extent, fishing. Apart from their long tradition they are notable for two brothers, James 'Brasser' Copper and Tom Copper. They were visited by Miss Kate Lee in 1898 who noted down some of their songs. She presented a paper "Some Experiences of a Folk Song Collector" to the first meeting of the Folk Song Society. The family tradition involves harmony singing which in itself is a rarity in the English tradition and they had considerable influence on the English Folk Song Revival of the 1960s and 1970s. 'Brasser' was Bob Copper's grandfather and, as well as helping to keep the family tradition alive, Bob has done sterling work as a collector in his own right.
  
  Songs of sailors' farewells to true loves left on shore have been frequent in English folk song tradition at least since he sixteenth century. This version from the Copper Family Songbook, containing songs from the family tradition and others learnt from neighbours probably derives ultimately, though considerably changed, from a ballad printed in London in 1690. This ballad has something in common with Banks Of The Nile. See also the notes to Claudy Banks [The Banks of Claudy]. (Notes 'Song Links - The English Songs')

•   [2003:] This is one of the songs that were passed on to Sally Sloane from her Irish grandmother Sarah Alexander. It was recorded from Sally Sloane by John Meredith, and like all Meredith's field recordings it is held by the National Library of Australia. Cathie O'Sullivan learnt her version of the song from a printed transcription published by Meredith. (Notes 'Song Links - The Australian Songs')