Here’s a health to you Bonny Kellswater

Where you get all the pleasure’s of life

Where you get all the fishing and fowling

And a bonny wee lass for your wife.

 

Oh it’s down where yon waters run muddy

I’m afraid they will never run clear

And it’s when I begin for to study

My mind is on him that’s not here.

 

For it’s this one and that one may court him

But if any one gets him but me

It’s early and late that I will curse them

For parting lovely Willy from me.

 

Oh a father he calls on his daughter

“Two choices I’ll give unto thee:

Would you rather see Willy’s ship a-sailing,

or see him hung like a dog on yonder tree.”

 

“Oh father, dear father, I love him.

I can no longer hide it from thee.

Through an acre of fire I would travel

Along with lovely Willy to be.”

 

But it’s woe to the heart that confines me

And keeps me from my true heart’s delight

Strong walls and cold irons they may bind me

And a stone for my pillow at night.

 

Oh yonder there’s a ship on the ocean,

And she does not know which way to steer

From the east to the west she’s a-roving,

She reminds me of the charms of my dear.

 

And it’s yonder my Willy will be coming.

He said he’d be here in the Spring.

And it’s down my yon green shades I’ll meet him

And among wild roses we’ll sing.

 

For a gold ring he placed on my finger,

Saying, “Love, bear thee this in your mind:

If ever I sail from old Ireland

You’ll mind I not leave you behind.”

 

Farewell to you Bonny Kellswater

Where you get all the pleasures of life

Where you get all the fishing and fowling

And a bonny wee lass for your wife.

As I roved out on a bright May morning

To view the meadows and flowers gay

Whom should I spy but my own true lover

As she sat under young willow tree.

 

I took off my hat and I did salute her

I did salute her most courageously

When she turned around, well the tears fell from her

Saying “False young man, you’ve deluded me.”

 

A diamond ring I owned I gave her

“A diamond ring to wear on your right hand.”

“But the vows you made, love you went and broke them,

And married the lassie that had the land.”

 

“If I married the lassie that had the land my love,

It’s that I’ll rue until the day I die

When misfortune calls, sure no man can shun it.

I was blindfolded I’ll ne’er deny.”

 

“Now at nights when I go to my bed of slumber,

With thoughts of my true love running in my mind,

When I turn around to embrace my darling,

Instead of gold, sure it’s brass I find.”

 

And I wish the Queen would call home her army

From the West Indies, America and Spain,

And every man to his wedded woman,

In hopes that you and I will meet again.

 

Oh Annan Waters wondrous deep, and my love Annie’s wondrous bonny

I loathe that she might wet her feet, because I love her best of any

Go saddle for me my bonny grey mare, go saddle her and make her ready

For I must cross that stream tonight, or never more I’ll see my lady.

 

And wow betide you Annan Waters, by night you are a gloomy river

And over you I’ll build a bridge, that never more true love may sever

 

And he has ridden o’er field and fen, o’er moor and moss and many’s the mire

His spurs of steep were sore to bite sparks from the mare’s hooves that flew like fire

The mare flew on o’er moor and moss and when she reached the Annan Waters

She couldn’t have ridden a furlong more had a thousand whips been laid upon her

 

And wow betide you Annan Waters, by night you are a gloomy river

And over you I’ll build a bridge, that never more true love may sever

 

“Oh boatman come put off your boat; put off your boat for gold and money,

For I must cross that stream tonight, or never more I’ll see my lady. ”

The sides are steep, the waters deep, from bank to brae the water’s pouring,

And the bonny grey mare she sweats for fear; she stands to hear the water’s roaring.

 

And wow betide you Annan Waters, by night you are a gloomy river

And over you I’ll build a bridge, that never more true love may sever

 

And he has tried to swim that steam, and he swam on both strong and steady,

But the river was wide and strength did fail, and never more he’ll see his lady.

And woe betide the willow wan, and woe betide the bush and briar

For the broke beneath her true love’s hand, when strength did fail and limbs did tire.

 

And wow betide you Annan Waters, by night you are a gloomy river

And over you I’ll build a bridge, that never more true love may sever

 

 

Come all ye fair and tender ladies

Take a warning how you court young men

They’re like a star on a summer’s morning

They first appear and then they’re gone.

 

They’ll tell to you some loving story

And then declare they love you well

Then away they’ll go to court some other

and leave you here in grief to dwell.

 

I wish I was some little sparrow

One of those that fly so high

I’d fly away to my false lover

And when he’d speak I would deny.

 

Love is handsome and love is charming

Love’s beauty while it’s new

But love grows old and love grows colder

And fades away like morning dew.

 

 

 

When I first came to this country in 1849

I saw many fair lovers but I never saw 

I peered all around me, saw I was quite alone

Me a poor stranger and a long ways from home. 

 

Well my true love she won’t have me and it’s this that I understand 

For she wants some free holder and I have no land 

I couldn’t maintain her on silver and gold 

And all of the other fine things that my love’s house should hold. 

 

Way down in some lonesome valley, way down in some lonesome place 

Where the wild birds do warble and their notes they do increase 

My love she is handsome from her foot to her brow

Well I once loved her dearly and I don’t hate her now. 

 

Well I wish I was poet that could write some fine hand 

I would write my love a letter that she might understand 

I’d send it by water where the islands overflow 

And think of my Saro wherever I go. 

 

Well I wish I was a turtledove, had wings and could fly 

Far way to my lover’s lodgings tonight I’d draw nigh

And there in her little white arms I would lay there all night 

And watch through the little window for the dawn of the day. 

 

Well it’s not this long journey I’m dreading for to go 

Nor the country I’m leaving, nor the debts that I owe 

There’s only one thing that troubles my mind 

It’s leaving my darling, Pretty Saro behind. 

 

Fare the well to old mother, fare the well to father too

I am going for to wander this wild world all through 

And when I get weary, I’ll sit down and cry 

And think of my darling, Pretty Saro my bride.