Historical Folk Lyrics
"The Spanish Main"

I was scarce eighteen when I started roving,
A pretty fair maid came in my view.
When love takes place in a young man's attention,
He does not mind the hardships he goes through.

I courted that girl for three long years,
But still her favour I could not gain.
One straight notion was my intention
That I would sail over the Spanish main.

Goodbye, darling, I'm going to leave you,
On the briny ocean to take my stand.
And it's goodbye, darling, let God be with you
And let no other sailor be at your command.

No other sailor and no tailor
Will have the privilege my heart to gain.
So goodbye, darling, and God be with you
And write to me over the Spanish main.

This poor girl she felt very lonely
A-thinking on the vows she broke,
And she felt lonely and discontented
And never a word to her mistress spoke.

They knew there was something grieved her
That very night as she went to bed,
And early. next morning unto her chamber,
They found the poor girl was lying dead.

And beneath her pillow they found a letter,
'Twould grieve your banished heart full sore.
It was wet with tears and dark with kisses.
Farewell, darling, for evermore.

And the very next day was this young girl's funeral,
A letter come all in her name,
Saying: Your sailor fell from the yard-arm reefing
While sailing over the Spanish main.

This poor girl she died broken-hearted
While her sailor was killed from his work at sea.
The secrets they have got to answer
Before their Maker and the Judgment Day.