Rambling Sailor / Young Johnson

Oh, I am a sailor brisk and bold,
Long time I've sailed the ocean.
Oh, I've fought for king and the country too,
For honour and promotion.
So now, my brother shipmates, I bid you all adieu,
No more will I go to sea with you;
But I'll ramble the country through and through
And I'll be a rambling sailor.

I am a sailor brisk and bold,
Long time I've sailed the ocean.
And I've fought for my king and the country too,
For honour and promotion.
But now, my brother shipmates, I bid you all adieu,
No more will I go to sea with you;
But I'll ramble the country through and through
And I'll be a rambling sailor.

Oh, it's off to a village then I went
Where I saw lassies plenty;
Oh, I boldly stepped up to one of them
To court her for her beauty.
Oh, her cheeks, they were like the rubies red;
She'd a feathered bonnet a-covering her head.
Oh, I put the hard word on her but she said she was a maid,
The saucy little trim-rigged doxy.

Now it's off to the village then I went
Where I saw the lassies plenty;
And I boldly stepped up to one of them
To court her for her beauty.
Oh, her cheeks, they were like the roses red;
She'd a fine feathered bonnet all on her head.
I put the hard word on her but she said she was a maid,
The saucy little trim-rigged doxy.

“Oh, I can't and I won't go along with you,
You saucy rambling sailor.
Oh, my parents, they would never agree
For I'm promised to a tailor.”
But I was hot shot eager to rifle her charms.
“A guinea,” says I, “for a roll in your arms.”
The deal was done and upstairs we went,
Myself and the trim-rigged doxy.

“Oh, I can't and I shan't and I won't go with you,
You saucy rambling sailor.
For my parents they would never agree
For I'm promised to a tailor.”
But I was hot shot eager to rifle her charms.
“A guinea,” says I, “for a roll in your arms.”
The deal was done and upstairs we went,
Myself and the trim-rigged doxy.

Oh, it was haul on the bowline, let your stays'ls fall,
We was yardarm to yardarm bumpin'.
My shot locker empty, asleep I fell
And then she fell into robbin';
Oh, she robbed all my pockets of everything I had,
She even stole my new boots from underneath the bed,
And she even stole my gold watch from underneath my head,
The saucy little trim-rigged doxy.

Well it's haul on the bowline, let the stays'ls fall,
We was yardarm to yardarm bobbin'.
And my shot locker empty, asleep I fell
And soon she fell to robbin';
Now she robbed all my pockets of everything I had,
She even stole my new boots from underneath the bed,
And she even stole my gold watch from underneath my head,
The saucy little trim-rigged doxy.

And it's when I awoke in the morning bright,
Oh, I started to roar like thunder.
My gold watch and my money too
She bore away for plunder.
But it wasn't for my watch nor my money too,
For them I don't value but I tell you true,
I think her little fire-bucket burned my bobstay through,
That saucy little trim-rigged doxy.

But it's when I awoke in the morning bright
I started to roar like thunder.
For my gold watch and my money too
She bore away for plunder.
Now it wasn't for my watch, and nor my money too,
For them I don't value but I tell you true,
I think her little fire-bucket burned my bobstay through,
The saucy little trim-rigged doxy.

Oh, I am a sailor brisk and bold
That oft have sailed the ocean,
I've travelled the country far and near
For honour and promotion.
My shipmates all, I'll bid you adieu;
I may no longer go along with you.
I'll travel the country through and through
And they call me the rambling sailor.

I am a sailor brisk and bold
Long time I've sailed the ocean.
I travelled the country through and through
For honour and promotion.
Oh, my shipmates all, I'll bid you adieu;
I may no longer go along with you.
I'll travel the country through and through
And I'll be the rambling sailor.

And if you want to know my name,
My name it is Young Johnson.
I've got a commission from the King
To court all girls as handsome.
With my false heart and flattering tongue
I'll court them all both old and young;
I'll court them all but I marry none
And they call me the rambling sailor.

And if you want to know my name,
My name it is Young Johnson.
I've got a commission from the King
To court all girls as handsome.
With my false heart and flattering tongue
I'll court them all both old and young;
I'll court them all but I marry none
And I'll be the rambling sailor.

Well first I come to Plymouth town
And there were lasses many.
I boldly stepped unto a one
To court her for her money.
Says I, “My dear, be of good cheer,
I will not leave you, do not fear.
I'll travel the country far and near
And they call me the rambling sailor.”

Well first I came to Portsmouth town
And there were lasses many.
I boldly stepped unto one
To court her for her money.
I says, “My gal, be of good cheer,
I will not leave you, do not fear.
I'll travel the country far and near
And I'll be the rambling sailor.”

And next I come to Portsmouth town
And there were lasses plenty.
I boldly stepped unto a one
To court her for her beauty.
Says I, “My dear, what do you choose
Here's ale and a wine and a rum punch too.
Besides a pair of silks I ensure
If you travel with the rambling sailor.”

And then I come to Plymouth town
And there were lasses many.
I boldly stepped unto one
To court her for her beauty.
I says, “My gal, what do you choose?
Here's ale and a wine and a rum punch too.
Besides a pair of silks I ensure
If you travel with the rambling sailor.”

And then I rose up with the dawn
Just as the day was peeping.
On tiptoe down the stairs I went
And I left my love a-sleeping.
And if she waits until I come
She may lie there till the day of her doom;
I'll court some other girl in their room
And they call me the rambling sailor.

And then I rose up with the dawn
Just as the day was peeping.
On tiptoe down the stairs I went
And I left my love a-sleeping.
And if she waits until I come
She may lie there till the day of her doom;
I'll court some other girl in their room
And I'll be the rambling sailor.