There was a ship in the North Country
And she goes by the name of the Golden Vanity
And I fear she will be taken by some Turkish Galilee
As she sails along the lowlands low
(Chorus)
Lowlands, Lowlands, as she sails along the lowlands low.
To the Captain up spake the little cabin boy
He said: ‘What will you give me if the galley I destroy,
The Turkish Galilee, if no more it shall annoy,
As we sail in the lowlands low?"
(Chorus)
"Of silver and gold I will give you a store;
And my pretty little daughter that lives on the shore,
Of treasure and of fee as well, I’ll give thee galore,
As we sail along the lowlands low."
(Chorus)
The boy bared his breast and straightaway leapt
in,
And he held in his hand an auger sharp and thin,
And he swam until he came to the Turkish Galleon,
As she lay in the lowlands low.
(Chorus)
And some were playing cards and some were playing
dice
He bored three holes once, and he bored three holes twice.
The water all flowed in and it dazzled in their eyes
As she sank in the lowlands low.
(Chorus)
"So throw me a rope, and pull me up on board."
"We won’t throw you a rope nor pull you up on board"
"If you don’t I’ll sink thee as I sank that Turkish Galley"
As they sailed in the lowlands low.
(Chorus)
Then the cabin boy swam round to the starboard
side,
Saying "Messmates, take me up, for I’m drifting with the tide."
And they laid him on the deck and he closed his eyes and died
As they sailed in the lowlands low.
(Chorus)