> Folk Music > Songs > Our Ship She Lies in Harbour

Our Ship She Lies in Harbour / Our Good Ship Lies in Harbour

[ Roud 1011 ; Master title: Our Ship She Lies in Harbour ; Ballad Index SWMS124 ; Bodleian Roud 1011 ; trad.]

Oak sang Our Good Ship Lies in Harbour in 1971 on their Topic album Welcome to Our Fair. This track was also included in 2003 on their Musical Traditions anthology Country Songs and Music. Rod Stradling noted in the latter’s booklet:

A pretty widely published song; most versions trace back to Gardiner’s, collected from William Brown of Cheriton, Hampshire.

Chris Sarjeant sang Our Ship Lies in Harbour in 2012 on his WildGoose CD Heirlooms. He noted:

The main body of the song came from the Lucy Broadwood collection. I felt the story was somewhat incomplete and so added a couple of verses from The Bold Dragoon.

Andy Turner sang Said the Father to the Daughter as the 13 May 2024 entry of his project A Folk Song a Week.

Lyrics

Oak sing Our Good Ship Lies in Harbour

Our good ship lies in harbour,
Just ready to set sail.
𝄆 May the heavens be your guide, my love,
’Til I return again. 𝄇

Says the father to the daughter,
“What makes you so lament?”
𝄆 “Oh, the lad that you have sent to sea
Can give my heart content.” 𝄇

“Well, if that’s your inclination,”
The old man did reply,
𝄆 “I hope he will continue there
And on the seas may die.” 𝄇

Then ten long weeks were over
And ten long tedious days,
𝄆 She saw the ship come sailing in
With her true love from the seas. 𝄇

“O yonder stands my angel,
She’s waiting there for me.
𝄆 Tomorrow to the church we’ll go
And married we will be.” 𝄇

Says the father to the daughter,
“Five hundred pounds I’ll give
𝄆 If you’ll forsake that sailor lad
And come with me to live.” 𝄇

“Well it’s not your gold that glitters
Nor your silver that do shine.
𝄆 I’m going with the lad I love
And I’m happy in my mind.” 𝄇

Chris Sarjeant sings Our Ship Lies in Harbour

Our ship she lies in harbour,
Just ready to set sail.
May heaven be your guardian, love,
’Til I return from sea.

Said the father to the daughter,
“What makes you so lament?
Is there not a man in this whole world
Can give your heart content?”

Said the daughter to the father,
“I’ll tell you the reason why:
You’ve sent away that sailing lad
Who could me satisfy.”

“Well, if that’s your inclination,”
The father did reply,
“I wish he may continue there
And on the seas may die.”

She like an angel weeping
On the rocks sat everyday,
Lamenting for her true love
Returning home from sea.

“O yonder sits my angel,
She’s waiting there for me.
Tomorrow to the church we’ll go
And married we shall be.”

But when they’ve been to the church and were
Returning home again,
They spied an irate father
With seven armed men.

Said the father to the daughter,
“Five hundred pounds I’ll give
If you’ll forsake this sailing lad
And come with me to live.”

“I’m afraid,” says the daughter,
“We both shall be slain.”
“My fear it is not at all,”
Was the jolly sailor’s claim.

“Oh hold your hand, bold sailor,
Bold sailor, hold your hand.
And you shall have my daughter dear,
Ten thousand pounds in hand.”

“Oh fight on,” says the daughter,
“My portion is too small.
Fight on, my dearest sailor
and you shall have it all.”

So come all you young ladies
That have got gold in store,
Never despise a sailor bold
Although he is so poor.