The story about the ghost that came from out on the sea to take his bride away from the house captpenter.
Hey there folks, this is Bob T. Guevara, making old and new music for all of you. Political, poetical, sensitive, funny, and whatever else you like.
Story behind the song
A story about a ghost that came back from the sea to take his bride away from the house carpenter. At least that's the way Bob Dylan introduced this song. I learned it from him and my version is similar to his one, but I mixed his lyrics with the original (traditional) ones.
Lyrics
Well met, well met, my own true love
Well met, well met, cried she
I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee
I could have married a King's daughter there
She would have married me
But I have forsaken my King's daughter there
It's all for the love of thee
Well, if you could have married a King's daughter there
I'm sure you're the one to blame
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I'm sure he's a fine young man
Forsake, forsake your house carpenter
And come away with me
I'll take you where the green grass grows
On the shores of sunny Italy
Well if I should forsake my house carpenter
And go along with thee
What have you got to maintain me upon
And keep me from slavery
Six ships, six ships all out on sea
And seven more upon dry land
one-hundered and ten jolly young men
Shall be at your command
So up she picked her babies three
And gave them kisses, one, two, three
Saying "take good care of your daddy while I'm gone
And keep him good company."
Then she putted on her rich attire,
so glorious to behold.
And as she trod along her way,
she shown like the glittering gold.
Well, they were sailin' about two weeks
I'm sure it was not three
When this fair lady began to weep,
she wept most bitterly.
"Well, are you weepin' for your house and home?
Or are you weepin' for your babies three?"
"Well, I'm not weepin' for my house carpenter
I'm weepin' for my babies three."
Oh what are those hills yonder, my love
They look as white as snow
Those are the hill of heaven, my love
You and I'll never know
Oh what are those hills yonder, my love
They look as dark as night
Those are the hills of hell-fire my love
Where you and I will unite
Oh twice around went the gallant ship
I'm sure it was not three
When the ship all of a sudden, it sprung a leak
And it drifted to the bottom of the sea
