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The Sailor Laddie / Rolling Sea

Frankie Armstrong sang The Sailor Laddie in 1973 on the Topic theme album The Valiant Sailor: Songs & Ballads of Nelson's Navy which accompanied Roy Palmer's same-named book. Frankie's five songs on this album were included in 2000 on the Fellside CD reissue of her Topic LP Lovely on the Water. The album's liner notes commented:

Despite her pride in the sailor lad's valour, his sweetheart still longs for peace, so that he will come home. A version of this song was heard at Gosport as early as 1781. Our text comes from John Aston's Real Sailor Songs (1891) and the tune from Stokoe and Reay, who give it in their Songs and Ballads of Northern England, under the title of O the Bonny Fisher Lad.

Christine Kydd sang Sailor Laddie in 1993 on her Fellside album Heading Home; this track was also included in 2006 on the Fellside anthology Landmarks: 30 Years of a Leading Folk Music Label.

Eliza Carthy sang this song as Rolling Sea in 2006 on the double CD Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys. The liner notes comment:

This song is from the perspective of a woman ashore, waiting for her sailor (or any sailor) to return home (with prize money). The lyrics are from the Napoleonic period. Some verses are the voice of a wife or sweetheart. The verse that compares sailors and soldiers is a well known whore's ditty of the time.

On the same album Eliza also sings, as part of Waterson:Carthy, the two songs The Mermaid and Hog-Eye Man.

Tom & Barbara Brown sang Bonnie Sailor Laddie in 2008 on their WildGoose CD Beyond the Quay. They commented:

Bonny Sailor Laddie is a happy marriage of tune and words that was contrived by Roy Palmer for his book (and the LP) The Valiant Sailor back in 1973: he took the tune O The Bonny Fisher Lad from Stokoe & Reay’s Songs and Ballads of Northern England and the words from Ashton’s Real Sailor Songs.

Said the Maiden sang Rolling Sailor in 2013 on their EP Come Hither.

Lyrics

Frankie Armstrong sings The Sailor Laddie	Eliza Carthy sings Rolling Sea
	Don't you see the ships a-coming? Don't you see them in full sail? Don't you see the ships a-coming With their prizes at their tail?
Oh my bonny sailor laddie, Oh my bonny sailor he; Well I love my sailor laddie, Blithe and merry may he be.	Chorus (repeated after each verse): Oh my little rolling sailor, Oh my little rolling he; How I love my rolling sailor When he's on a rolling sea; When he's on a rolling, rolling, When he's on a rolling sea.
Sailor lads have gold and silver, Fisher lads have nought but brass. Well I love my sailor laddie Because I am a sailor's lass.	Sailors they get all the money, Soldiers they get none but brass. How I love my rolling sailor, Soldiers they can kiss my …
How can I be blithe and merry When my true love's so far from me? When so many pretty sailors They are pressed and sent to sea?	How can I be blithe and merry With my true love far from me? All those pretty little sailors, They've been pressed and tanged to sea.
How I wish the press was over And the war was at an end. Then every bonny sailor laddie Would be merry with his friend.	How I wish the press were over And the wars were at an end. Then every sailor laddie Would be happy with his friend.
Some delight in jolly farmers, Some delight in soldiers free; But my delight's in a sailor laddie, Blithe and merry may he be.
How I wish the war was over, Peace and plenty come again. Then every bonny sailor laddie Would come sailing o'er the main.	When the wars they are all over Peace and plenty come again; Every bonny sailor laddie Will come sailing on the main.
Don't you see the ship a-coming? Don't you see she's in full sail? Don't you see the Britannia coming With the prizes at her tail? (repeat first verse)	Oh, the wars will soon be over And the sailors once come home; Every lass will get a lad, She won't have to sleep alone.

Links

See also the Mudcat Café thread Origins: Rolling Sailor (Eliza Carthy).