| Melody: | Back to Roth's Song Index | ||
| By: | Mike Agranoff | ||
| On: | Or Would You Rather Get a Job? |
As I rolled out one bright May morn after seven years at sea
To hear the thrush so sweetly sing and the pleasant air to see
There I spied the most beauteous creature ere my eyes beheld before
And I resolved this one to wed, to make her mine forevermore
Evermore, evermore, to make her mine forevermore.
I stepped boldly up to her and asked of her her name
"Wilt thou walk along with me and tell me whence thou came?
"For I am but a poor young sailor, lately come from o'er the brine
"But all my stores and all my heart I'd give to thee to make thee mine
Make thee mine, make thee mine, I'd give to thee to make thee mine.
"Stand back, stand back, you false young man, for this can never be
"For I am pledged to handsome Johnny, far away at sea".
And from the pocket of her gown, drew forth a ring 'twas broke in twain
Saying "I shall wed with none until the other half comes home again."
Home again, home again, the other half comes home again.
Then from my breast I drew a chain on which hung half a ring
Saying "It is I, your handsome Johnny, this to you I bring
"For seven years I've somehow kept this half a ring upon a chain
"And by this token I do hope to win my Nancy back again
Back again, back again, to win my Nancy back again.
When she beheld this broken token she began to laugh
"Oh, Johnny dear, 'tis well for you you've kept that other half
"For seven years have not been kind --
you've grown a paunch, your hair is gone
"But I suppose I'll marry you, since I have waited all this long
All this long, all this long, since I have waited all this long.
Just then rode up a fine young soldier, pride of all the corps
Saying "Nancy dear, 'tis I, sweet William, lately come from war
"Dost thou recall this coin we broke, between us our love to attest
"One half I hold before you now, the other half hangs at thy breast
At thy breast, at thy breast, the other half hangs at thy breast.
"Stand back, stand back you false young man, for this can never be
"(For I am pledged to handsome Johnny, just returned from sea.)
"Oh no", cries William, "This can't be --
though for seven years he's been your beau
"I trow my claim doth preceed his -- we broke this coin eight years ago!
Years ago, years ago, we broke this coin eight years ago!
As those three stood there all bewildered, wondering what to do
Up comes I, a bold sea-captain, chief of his old crew
Saying "I have come to claim my Nancy, by this rememberance we had broken
And he drew from out his purse a half a New York subway token
Subway token, subway token, a half a New York subway token.
"Stand back, stand back, you false young man!" the soldier he did say
"For I did know thee as a maid, from before I went away
"And you'd cut off your long yellow hair, and men's apparel you'd put on
"All for a sailor to become -- a following your handsome John
Handsome John, handsome John, a following your handsome John.
And so sweet William and lovely Nancy married were in June
And I have wed my bold sea-captain -- we're expecting soon!
And sometimes we four get together, go eat out and for a laugh
We leave the waitress for a tip -- a dollar bill that's torn in half
Torn in half, torn in half, a dollar bill that's torn in half.