Digital Tradition Mirror

Jack Tar

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Jack Tar

When Jack he came on shore with his gold and silver store
No one could get rid of it quicker
The first thing Jack demand was a fiddler at his hand
Good ale and all sorts of liquor

The next thing Jack demand was a parlour neat and gay,
Good liquors of every kind,
And a pretty little maid with a dark and rolling eye,
And then Jack is suited to his mind.

The landlady came in, she was dressed like any queen,
 She looked like the evening star
All for to wait on him when she finds him good trim,
Chalks him down, two fort)--one at the bar.

This Frame was carried on till Jack's money was all gone,
The old dame began for to frown,
Saving,'' Rise Jack tar, arise and your pretty girl likewise,
 I think its high time that you were going."

Such a sudden squall was that, Jack head sails all aback,
He not knowing what course for to steer,
And for to have revenge for himself, for to defend,
Swore the main deck fore and aft, that I would clear.

Jack made no reply but the candlesticks let fly
Which put the old dame in a rage,
But her daughter in a fright, called the watchman of the night,
To bundle this young sailor to the jail.

''Now, "  says  Jack,  "I  understand  there's  a  large  ship  to  demand
And to the East Indies she is bound,
We will crowd each lofty sail, to a sweet and pleasant gale,
Bid adieu to the girls in the town.

We will keep her tack, for tack, like some cutter or a smack,
As she raised from the lee to the weather,
We will keep her full and by just as close as she would lie,
And I warrant we will soon be in fair weather.''

DT #743
Laws K39
From Creighton and Senior, Songs of Nova Scotia
Collected from Mr. Garvie Young of Petpeswick
SOF
apr97

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!