Chorus: And it's home boys, home! Home I'd like to be, home for a while, in me own country Where the oak and the ash and the bonny elm tree Are all a-growin' green in me own country There was an apprentice lived in Strawberry lane Loved by her master and her mistress the same Until I a sailor lad came sailing o'er the sea And that was the beginnin' of her misery (Chorus) The maid being innocent she thought it was no harm To go into bed for to keep her back warm He hugged her and he kissed her and he called her his dear Said, "I wish me love this night it was as long as a year" (Chorus) 'Twas early next morning the sailor lad arose And into her apron he put handfuls of gold "Take this me dear for the mischief that I've done, Last night I may have left you with a daughter or a son". (Chorus) "And if you have a girl child then dance her on your knee And if you have a male child well call him after me And when he is a man you can dress him up in blue And he'll go skipping up the rigging like his daddy used to do". (Chorus) So come on all ye lassies, a warning take by me And never let a sailor lad an inch above your knee For once I met a sailor lad and he beguiled me And he left me with a pair of twins to dandle on me knee. (Chorus)
