Banks of the Nile

Melody -

Farewell, my dearest Nancy,
Farewell I must away.
I hear the drums a-beating
And no longer I can stay.
For we're orders out of Portsmouth Town
And for many a long mile
For to fight the blacks and heathens
On the banks of the Nile.

2. Oh, I'll cut off my curly locks
And along with you I'll go
I'll dress meself in velveteen
And go and see Egypt, too.
I'll fight and bear thy banners well,
Kind fortune upon thee smile.
And we'll comfort one another
On the banks of the Nile.

3. Oh, your waist it is too slender, love,
And your waist it is too small.
I'm afraid that you won't answer me,
If l should on you call
Your delicate constitution will
Not stand the unwholesome soil.
Nor the dark, nor the sandy climate
On the banks of the Nile.

4. O Willie, dearest William.
Don't leave me here to mourn,
You'll make me curse and rue the day
For whenever I'd been born.
For the parting of my own true love
And the parting of me life
Now stay at home, dear William,
And I will be thee wife.

5. My curse upon the war
And the hour that it began
For it has robbed our counterie
Of many a gallant man
It took from us our old sweethearts,
Protectors of our soil
And their blood does steep the grass that's deep
On the banks of the Nile.

6. Let a hundred days be darkened
And let maidens give a sigh
It would melt the very elements
To hear the wounded cry
Let a hundred days be brightened
And let the maidens give a smile
But remember Abercrombie
On the banks of the Nile.

7. O now the war is over
And back I'll then return
Unto my wife and family
I'll leave behind to mourn.
We'll call them in around, me boys,
And there's no end of toil.
And no more we'll go a'roving
On the banks of the Nile.

Line

| English Songs Index | Home Page Robokopp |Home Page Musica|