“My Willy sails on board the tender
And where he is I do not know.
For seven years I've been constantly waiting
Since he crossed the Bay of Biscay-o.”

My William sailed on board the tender
And where he is I do not know,
For seven long years I have been waiting
Since he has crossed the Bay of Biscay-o.

One night as Mary lay a-sleeping,
A knock came to her bedroom door,
Saying, “Arise, arise, my dearest Mary,
For to earn one glance of your Willy-o.”

One night as Mary lay a-sleeping
A knock came to her bedroom door,
Saying, “Arise, arise, my lovely Mary,
It is your true lover, William-o.”

Young Mary rose, put on her clothes,
Unto her bedroom door did go
And there she spied her Willy standing,
His two pale cheeks as white as snow.

So Mary rose, put on her clothing,
So swift she's opened up the door.
And there she saw her true lover standing,
His cherry cheeks they were as white as snow.

“Oh Willy dear, where are those blushes,
Those blushes I knew long years ago?”
“Oh Mary dear, the cold clay has them
I am only the ghost of your Willy-o.”

“Oh William dear, where are your blushes,
Your blushes you'd got some time ago?”
“Oh Mary dear—the clay has changed me
And I am the ghost of your William-o.”

“Oh Mary dear, the dawn is coming.
Don't you think it is time for me to go?
I am leaving you quite broken-hearted
For to cross the Bay of Biscay-o.”

“And Mary dear, the dawn is breaking,
The time has come for me to go.
And I must leave you broken-hearted
Since I have crossed the Bay of Biscay-o.”

“If I had all the gold and silver
And all the money in Mexico,
I would grant it all to the King of Erin
To bring me back my Willy-o.”

As Mary lay sleeping, her love came creeping
To her bedroom door so slow,
Saying, “Rise up, Mary, my lovely Mary,
I'm your charming Willie-o.”

As young Mary lay sleeping, Willie come creeping
To her bed chamber door did go,
Saying, “Arise and awake, young lovely Mary,
For it is your true love, Young William-o.”

Mary arose, she put on her clothes
And to her bedroom door did go,
And there she found her own true lover
And his face was white as the lily snow.

So Mary she rose and she put on her clothing,
To her bedchamber door did go,
And there she met with her true love William
Whom she'd not seen some long time ago.

Oh it's seven long years I've been daily writing
All over the Bay of Biscay-o,
But it's cruel death gave me no answer
Gave me no answer from my William-o.

“Oh, Willie dear, where are those blushes,
That you had some long ago?”
“Mary dear, the clay has changed them;
I'm but the ghost of your Willie-o.”

Then it's, “William dear, where are those blushes,
Those blushes you wore, being so long ago?”
Then it's, “Mary dear, oh the cold clay has worn them
For I am but the ghost of Young William-o.”

They spent that night in deep conversation
Concerning their courtship years ago.
They kissed, they shook hands and sorrowful parted
Just as the cock began to grow.

And as they were in deep conversation
Down her cheeks the tears did flow.
“Farewell, Darling, I must leave you;
I'm but the ghost of your Willie-o.”

“Oh, Willie dear, when will we meet again?”
“When the fishes there will fly
And the sea it will run dry
And the rocks they will melt with the sun.”

O it’s seven long years since my true love left me.
It is seven long years since he went to sea.
But another seven I shall wait his pleasure,
Till he comes home and he marries me.

O it’s seven long years since my true love left me.
It is seven long years since he went to sea.
But another seven I shall wait his pleasure,
Till he comes home and he marries me.

Now I lie in my bed and I often wonder
I lie in my bed and I often pray.
I pray to my dearest God in Heaven,
Will he send my true love back home to me?

I lie in my bed and I often wonder
I lie in my bed and I often pray.
I pray to my dearest God in Heaven,
Will he send my true love back home to me?

Now who is that there, who is at my window?
Who is keeping me out of my night’s rest?
It is not my father, it is not my mother,
Who is keeping me out of my night’s rest?

Now who is there, who is at my window?
Who is keeping me out of my long night’s rest?
It is not my father and it is not my mother,
Who is keeping me out of my long night’s rest?

He said, “Open your door, love, and let me in, love.
Will ye open your door, love, will you let me in?
For I am cold, love, and I am weary.
And I am wet to the very skin.”

He said, “Open your door, love, and let me in, love.
Will you open your door and let me in?
For I am cold, love, and I am weary.
And I am wet to the very skin.”

So she opened the door with the greatest of pleasure,
She opened the door and she let him in.
Saying, “If you’re my young man, you have changed your colour,
You’re not like the young man I used to know.”

So she's opened the door with the greatest of pleasure,
She's opened the door and she let him in.
Saying, “If you’re my young man, you have changed your colour,
You’re not like the young man I used to know.”

So they sat talking and went walking,
Until the small cock he began to crow.
He said, “I must away, dear, I can stay no longer
For it’s a far way that I have to go.”

So they sat talking and they went walking,
Until the small cock he began to crow.
He said, “I must away, dear, I can stay no longer
For it’s faraway that I have to go.”

She said, “Willie dear, love, o please don’t leave me,
O Willie dear, don’t go back to sea.
O Willie dear, love, o please don’t leave me,
O Willie won’t you stay with me?”

She said, “My dear love, o please don’t leave me,
O Willie dear, don’t go back to sea.
O my dear love, o please don’t leave me,
O my love, won’t you stay with me?”

He said, “I must away, dear, I can stay no longer,
For it’s a far way I have to go.
And when I’m gone, love, please pray no longer,
For never more can I come home to you.”

He said, “I must away, dear, I can stay no longer,
For it’s faraway that I have to go.
And when I’m gone, love, please pray no longer,
For never more can I come home to you.”