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> Tony Rose > Songs > Lovely on the Water

Lovely on the Water

[ Roud 1539 ; trad.]

This song was collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams from the singing of Mr Hilton at South Walsham on April 11, 1908, and published in the Journal of the Folk Song Society vol. 4 (1910) p. 84.

Steeleye Span recorded Lovely on the Water for their second album Please to See the King and Frankie Armstrong likewise as title track of her 1972 LP, Lovely on the Water; this track was later included in the Topic compilation Round Cape Horn: Traditional Songs of Sailors, Ships and the Sea. The sleeve notes say:

Certain folk songs had great popularity, and have been reported over and again, from end to end of the country. Others—including some masterpieces—seem to have had but tiny circulation. So Lovely on the Water, with a gorgeous melody and significant words, has been found only once, by Vaughan Williams at South Walsham, a few miles from Norwich. The song starts idyllically and ends ominously, like a sunny day that clouds over. The singer, a Mr Hilton, had fourteen verses, but Vaughan Williams, often a bit careless about texts, mislaid some. Missing verses probably concerned the familiar situation in which the girl volunteers to disguise herself as a seaman, in order to sail with her lover, but is hurriedly dissuaded.

Tony Rose recorded Lovely on the Water in 1999 for his CD Bare Bones and Coope Boyes & Simpson in 2005 for their album Triple Echo: Songs collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams, George Butterworth and Percy Grainger.

Jon Boden sang Lovely on the Water as the March 21, 2011 entry of his project A Folk Song a Day.

Lyrics

Steeleye Span sing Lovely on the Water	Frankie Armstrong sings Lovely on the Water
As I walked out one morning In the springtime of the year, I overheard a sailor boy Likewise a lady fair.	As I walked out one morning In the springtime of the year, I overheard a sailor Likewise his lady fair.
They sang a song together, Made the valleys for to ring; While the birds on the spray in the meadows gay Proclaimed the lovely spring.	They sang a song together, Made the valleys for to ring; And the birds on the spray in the meadows gay Proclaimed the lovely spring.
Said Willy unto Nancy, “Oh we soon must sail away, For it's lovely on the water To hear the music play.	Said the sailor to his sweetheart, “We soon must sail away. And it's lovely on the waters To hear the music play; But if I had my way, dear love, Along with you I'd stay.
For our Queen she do want seamen, So I will not stay on shore. I will brave the wars for my country Where the blund'ring cannons roar.”	But our Queen she do want seamen, And we must leave the shore. And we must face the wars, my love, Where cannons loud do roar.”
Poor Nancy fell and fainted But soon he brought her to, For it's there they kissed and they embraced And took a fond adieu. “Come change your ring with me, my love, For we may meet once more; But there's One above that will guard you, love, Where the blund'ring cannons roar. Four pounds, it is our bounty, And that must do for thee. For to help the aged parents While I am on the sea.”
For Tower Hill is crowded With mothers weeping sore, For their sons are gone to face the foe Where the blundering cannons roar.	Oh Tower Hill is crowded With women weeping sore, For their husbands, sons and sweethearts Gone to face the cannons roar.

Tony Rose sings Lovely on the Water
As I walked out one morning In the springtime of the year, I overheard a sailor Likewise his lady fair. Oh, they sang a song together, Made the valleys for to ring; And the birds on the high in the meadows gay They proclaimed a lovely spring. Said the sailor to his true love, “We soon must sail away. And it's lovely on the water To hear the music play.” And said Billy unto Nancy, “I soon must sail away. But if I had my way, my love, It's along with you I'd stay. But our Queen she do want sailors, And we must leave the shore. And we must face the wars, my love, Where the cannons loud do roar.” And Tower Hill is crowded With the women weeping sore, For husbands, sons and sweethearts Gone to face the cannons roar. “So come change your ring with me, love, For we may meet once more; There's One above will guard my love Where the cannons loud do roar.