I've sailed the sea, fought battles too,
Long time I've ploughed the ocean,
I've fought for my Queen and my country too,
Won medals and promotion,
But now I've bid shipmates adieu,
I've left behind both ship and crew,
To travel the country through and through,
And be a rambling sailor.

And if you want to know my name,
My name it is Young Johnson,
I have a mission from the Queen,
TO court all girls that are handsome.
With my false heart and my flattering tongue,
I'll court them all, but I'll marry, marry, none,
I'll court them all, both old and young,
And still be a rambling sailor.

And when I came to Greenwich town,
There I saw girls in plenty,
I boldly stepp-ed up to them,
To court them for their money.

ith my false heart and my flattering tongue,
I'll court them all, but I'll marry, marry, none,
I'll court them all, both old and young,
And still be a rambling sailor.


abc | midi | pdf

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Source: Garners Gay, EFDS Publications, 1967

Notes:
Fred Hamer collected this song from William Bartle, Bedfordshire and notes "It was the last song he sang to me before he died in the bitter cold of the 1962-63 winter."
This leaves it unclear whether the song was also collected in 62-63 or that it was collected some time earlier and only the death happened then.

Compare this song with "The Rambling Soldier" also collected by Fred Hamer

Roud: 518 (Search Roud index at VWML) Take Six
Laws:
Child:

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Related Songs:  The Rambling Soldier (thematic)