Maggie May

Come all you sailors bold, and when my tale is told
I know that you will sadly pity me,
I was a god damned fool in the port of Liverpool,
On a voyage when I first come home from sea.

cho: Oh Maggie, Maggie May
They have taken you away
For to slave upon Van Dieman's cruel shore.
Oh, you've robbed many a whaler, and many a drunken sailor,
But you'll never cruise down Paradise Street no more.

I was payed off at the Home, after a voyage from Sierre Leone,
Two-pound-ten a month had been my pay,
As I jingled in my tin, I was sadly taken in,
By a lady of the name of Maggie May.

Chorus

When I first ran into her, I hadn't got a care
I was cruising up and down old Canning Place,
She was dressed in a gown so fine, like a frigate of the line,
And I, being a sailor, gave chase.

Chorus

She gave a saucy nod, and like a farmer's clod
I let her take me line abreast in tow,
And under all plain sail, we ran before the gale
And to the Crow's Nest Tavern we did go.

Chorus

When I got full of beer, to her lodging we did steer
She charged me 15 shillings for the fight
But I was so ruddy drunk, when I landed in her bunk
I never knew what happened in the night.

Chorus

Next morning when I woke, I was so bloody broke
I had'nt got a shilling to me name!
So I had to pop me boots, me John-Ls and me suit
Down at the pawnshop number nine Park Lane.

Chorus

You robbing Maggie May, you robbed me of your pay
When I slept with you last night ashore.
Guilty the jury found her, for the robbing of a homeword bounder
And you'll never cruise down Paradise Street no more.

Chorus

She was chained and sent away from Liverpool that day,
The lads all cheered as she sailed down the bay,
And every sailor lad, he only was too glad
They'd sent that old whore out to Botany Bay.

Chorus

Part of the Dogwatch Nautical Band Site at http://www.well.com/user/cwj/dogwatch/.

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