Historical Folk Lyrics
"The Streams Of Lovely Nancy Or The Dreams Of Lovely Nancy"

The dreams of lovely Nancy divide in three parts
Where young men and maidens go to seek their sweethearts
It's drinking strong liquor makes my poor heart ache,
The noise in yonder valley caused the rocks for to break

As a sailor and his true love was walking along
Said the sailor to his true love: I will sing you a song
It's a false hearted woman caused me for to say
Fare you well, Nancy I am bound away.

I'll go to some nunnery and it's there I'll spend my time,
I'll never get married, and I'll no man's bride
I will never get married, no man's bride will I be
Until my own dearest Jimmy will return home to me

I will go to the yonder mountain where the wild foul do fly
There is one bird among them she fly very high
If had her in my arms one moment to stand
You would see how I'd tame her by the sleight of my hand

I will go to my captain and I will fall on my knees
I will ask him a question if he may grant it to me
But the answer he made me: You may go back again,
Since your love is so little [fickle?] and that I know well.

I will go to my castle where the castle do stand,
It's built up with ivory all on the dark strand,
It's built up with ivory and diamonds so bright,
It's a signal for sailors on a dark stormy night.

The bright star of old Erion so beautiful do shine,
With her hair over her shoulder like amber brown;
She delights in my company more than gold I declare;
Although she do slight me she's the girl I love dear.

Another Version

The dreams of lovely Nancy divide in three parts,
Where young men and maidens go to seek their sweethearts.
It was drinking strong whiskey that made my heart ache,
For tonight in yonder valley where the rocks they do shake.

It's a sailor and his true love were walking along;
Said the sailor to his true love: I will sing you a song.
It's a false-hearted woman causes me for to say:
Fare you well, lovely Nancy, I'm now bound away.

I will go to some nunnery, I will there spend my life,
I'll never get married, I'll· be no man's wife,

I'll never get married, no man's wife I will be,
Then my dearest Nancy will return unto me .

I will go to yonder mountain where the wild fowl do fly,
There's one there among them she flies very high.
If I had her in my arms just one moment to spend,
She would see how I'd tame her by the sleight of my hand.

I will go to my father's castle, where the castle do stand,
It is built up with ivory all on the dark strand,
It is built up with ivory and diamonds so bright,
It's a signal for sailors on a dark stormy night.

The bright star of Erion so pleasant may shine,
With her hair over her shoulder of a deep, deepish brown.
I delight in her company more than gold I declare,
Although she did slight me, she's the one I love dear.