Rolling Home

Melody -

Up aloft amid the rigging
Swiftly blows the loud favoring gale
Strong as springtime in its blossom,
Filling out each swelling sail
And the waves we leave behind us
Seem to murmur as they rise,
We have tarried here to bear you,
To the land you dearly prize.
Chorus:
Rolling home, rolling home,
Rolling home across the sea;
Rolling home to dear old England
Rolling home, dear land to thee!

2. Full ten thousand miles behind us,
And a thousand miles before,
Ancient ocean waves to waft us
To the well-remembered shore.
Cheer up Jack, bright smiles await you
From the fairest of the fair
And her loving eyes will greet you
With kind welcomes everywhere
Chorus:

3. Call all hands to man the capstan
See the cable run down clear
Heave away and with a will boys
For old England we will steer
And we'll sing in joyful chorus
In the watches of the night
And we'll sight the shores of England
When the grey dawn brings the light
Chorus:

This ballad was a great favorite on the vessels of all nations. Many attempts were made to Americanize it, by "rolling home to dear old Boston, New York", or any other two syllable American port.

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