Fare thee well, my girl,
My favorite bold Nancy,
Fare well ’til we meet
Once again in the fall;
For the sea’s great gulls
And little cod-fishes,
Call me away again.
And the deep blue sea
Makes its marks in your eyes
And the wild grey clouds mark your hair;
And I’m a fool, and an ocean-bound sailor
Off to the waves again.
Now don’t you cry,
You’re too old for crying;
Now here’s my promise to you, my love:
I’ll be back in the fall,
When the fish have stopped running
And I’ll winter with you here ashore.
And the deep blue sea
Leaves its marks in your eyes
And the wild grey clouds stripe your hair;
And I’m just a fool, an ocean-bound stranger
Off to the waves again.
And I’ll bring home to you
All my hard-earned salt-treasure,
And all of the gifts the gods gave the sea;
I’ll bring you warm arms
And sixteen weeks’ loving,
Until the ocean calls me home.
And the deep blue sea
Will leave its mark in your eyes
And the wild grey clouds toss your hair;
And I’m only a fool, the ocean’s changeling
Gone to the waves again.
For I can stay no longer
Despite all my wishes
For the sea is my blood
As yours is the land;
But I’ll be yours to hold
Through the winter darkness
‘Till the spring-time comes round again.
And the deep blue sea
Will leave its mark in your eyes
And the wild grey clouds make your hair;
And I’m ever the fool, a storm-caught silkie
Lost to the waves again.