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Sir Patrick Spens (1)

from 52 Folk Songs: Blue by Phil Edwards

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Child 58

lyrics

The King sits in Dunfermline town
Drinking the blood red wine,
And it's "Where can I get me a fine mariner
To sail seven ships of mine?"
Then up spoke a fine young man
Sat at the King's right knee,
"Sir Patrick Spens is the finest sailor
That ever sailed upon the sea."

So the King has written a broad letter
And signed it with his own right hand,
And he's sent it to Sir Patrick Spens
Walking on Leith strand.
And the very first line Sir Patrick read,
A loud loud laugh gave he
And the very last line Sir Patrick read,
The salt tears filled his eye.

"O who is he has done this deed
And told the King of me?
For never was I a fine mariner
Nor ever do intend to be.
O who is he has done this deed,
This ill deed done to me?
To send me out his time of year
To sail all on the sea.

"But rise up, rise up, my merry men all,
Our ship she sails in the morn
Whether it's windy, whether it's fair,
Whether there's hail and storm,
Late yest'reen I saw the new moon
With the old moon in her arms,
And I fear, I fear a deadly storm
Our ship she'll come to harm."

They hadn't been sailing a league, a league,
Leagues but barely three,
When cold and watery blew the winds
And grumly grew the sea.
They hadn't been sailing a league, a league,
Leagues but barely nine,
When the wind and the wet and the sleet and snow
Came blowing up behind.

"O where can I find me a little cabin boy
To take the helm in hand
While I climb up to the topmast high
To see if I can't spy land?"
"Come down, come down, Sir Patrick Spens!
We fear that we all must die.
For in and out of the good ship's hull
The wind and the ocean fly."

And the very first step that he took upon the deck
The water it came to his knee
And the very last step that he took upon the deck
They drowned they were in the sea
And many was the fine feather bed
That floated all on the foam
And many was the little lord's son
That never never more came home

And it's long, long may their ladies sit
With their fans all in their hands
Before they see Sir Patrick Spens
Come sailing along Leith strand
For it's fifty miles to Aberdeen shore
It's fifty fathoms deep
And there does lie Sir Patrick Spens
With the little lords at his feet.

credits

from 52 Folk Songs: Blue, released January 19, 2012

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Phil Edwards Manchester, UK

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