> Martyn Wyndham-Read > Songs > Botany Bay
Botany Bay
[
Roud 3267
;
AFS 10
; Ballad Index R096
; Old Songs
BotanyBay
; Mudcat 17695
; Henry Pottinger Stephens, William Yardley]
Botany Bay is a burlesque, written by Henry Pottinger Stephens and William Yardley, from the comedy Little Jack Shepherd that played in London in 1885, and in Melbourne in 1886. It was first published in Sydney Golden Songster in 1893.
Peter Laycock, Brian Mooney, David Lumsden and Martyn Wyndham-Read sang Botany Bay live at Melbourne Town Hall on the 1964 album Australian Folk Night.
Kate Rusby sang Botany Bay in 1998 on her EP Cowsong. The track was also included in 2002 on her anniversary CD 10.
Lyrics
Botany Bay in the Digital Tradition | Kate Rusby sings Botany Bay |
---|---|
Farewell to old England forever, |
Farewell to old England forever, |
Chorus (repeated after each verse): |
Chorus (repeated after each verse): |
There's the captain as is our commander, |
The captain that is our commander, |
'T ain't leaving old England we cares about, | |
These seven long years I've been serving now |
For seven long years I'm transported, |
Oh, had I the wings of a turtle dove |
If I had the wings of a turtle dove |
Now all my young Dookies and Dutchesses |