O it's of a sea-captain
Down by the sea-side, O,
And he's courted a young lady,
And he's got her by child.

"Go and fetch your father's gold
And some of your mother's money,
And go all across the ocean,
All along with young Johnny."

"Now I've got me father's gold
And some of me mother's money,
And I'll go all across the ocean,
All along with young Johnny."

Now they hadn't been a-sailing,
No miles not a great many
Before she was delivered
Of a beautiful baby.

"Go and fetch a white napkin
For to tie me head easy,
And throw me quite overboard --
Both me and my baby."

Now see how she totters,
See how she tumbles,
And see how she's rolling
All upon the salt water.

"Go fetch me a longboat
For to row me lover back again,
For to row me lover back again,
Both for her and her baby.

"For she shall have a coffin,
And the coffin it shall shine yellow,
And she shall be buried
On the banks of green willow."

Child #24
This version from the singing of Nic Jones; it is found on his self-titled album. The tune is partly his own creation. Child's generic title for this ballad is "Bonnie Annie," although "The Banks of Green Willow" seems to be the most common traditional form.

Although it is not very clear in this version (and even less clear in other texts of this song), this is in fact a "Jonah Ballad." Usually in such cases (as in the Biblical book of Jonah) a ship sets out on a voyage and encounters a storm or other calamity. The sailors determine who is at fault and throw the guilty party overboard. (In this case it may be that the girl's only fault was to be female, or to have borne a child; at least, most recent versions do not involve the casting of lots to determine who was at fault.)

A more traditional version comes from Cynthia Gooding, "Queen of Hearts." Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger recorded "Bonnie Annie" on "Popular Scots Songs." RW

@bastard @deadbaby @ship
filename GREWILL2
RW

BANKS OF GREEN WILLOW  from Digitrad

It's of a sea captain, lived by the sea side oh
And he has courted a fair maid till she's proved with child oh

Crying, "Oh my love, what shall I do and what will become of me
For my father and mother they will both disown me"

"Go fetch some of your father's gold and some of your mother's
money
And you can sail the ocean along with your Johnny"

So she's fetched some of her father's gold and some of her
mother's money
And she's gone on board a ship along with her Johnny

They hadn't been a sailing scarce six weeks nor so many
Before she wanted woman's help and could not get any

"oh hold your tongue you foolish girl, oh hold your tongue my
honey
For we cannot get woman's help for love nor for money"

They hadn't been a sailing scarce six miles nor so many
Before she was delivered of a beautiful baby

"Sea captain, sea captain, here's fifty pounds for thee
If you'll fetch me home safe again, both me and my baby"

"Oh no," says the sea captain, "For such a thing can never be
For tis better to loose two lives than it is to loose many"

So he's tied a kerchief round her head, he's tied it soft and
easy
And he has thrown her right overboard, both she and her baby

"See how my love do swim, my boys, see how my love do quiver
She will never cease swimming till the banks of green willow"

"My love shall have a coffin of the gold that shines so yellow
And she shall be buried by the banks of green willow"

Child #24
@love @bastard @sea @murder
recorded by Frankie Armstrong
filename GREWILLO
SF