Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Lowlands of Holland 5

Lowlands of Holland 5

Lowlands of Holland 5

The love that I have chosen I therewith be content
The salt sea shall be frozen before that I repent
Repent it shall I never until the day I dee
But the lowlands of Holland has twined my love and me.

My love lies in the salt sea and I am on the side
It's enough to break a young thing's heart that lately was a bride.
But lately was a bonny bride with pleasure in her e'e.
But the lowlands of Holland has twined my love and me.

My love he built a bonny ship and set her on the sea
With seven score good mariners to bear her company.
But there's three score of them is sunk and three score dead at sea
And the lowlands of Holland has twined my love and me.

My love has built another (or: a nether) ship and set her on the sea
And nane but twenty mariners all for to bring her hame.
But the weary wind began to rise, the sea began to roll
And my love then and his bonny ship turned with the shins about.

There shall nae a quiff come on my head nor comb come in my hair
There shall neither coal nor candlelight shine in my bower mair.
And neither will I marry until the day I dee
For I never had a love but one and he's drowned in the sea.

Oh hold your tongue my daughter dear, be still and be content.
There's men enough in Galloway, you need not sore lament.
Oh there's men enough in Galloway, alas there's none for me
For I never had a love but one and he's drowned in the sea.

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Child #92
recorded by Steeleye Span on "Hark! The Village Wait" (1970)
and by the Corries in 1970 (verses 3-6 only) in fine Scots.
This version shares verses 1, 5 and 6 essentially with the more
familiar ones (LOWHOLLD, LOWHOLL2), but has a completely different
story line. This is the only version I know with no reference at all
to press gangs and, well, Holland. The lost love here seems to have been
a merchant captain rather than a pressed sailor.

MJ