Caledonia Lyrics

A sailor and his true love
Lay doon tae mak their moan
When in by came ain o their countrymen
Sayin’ rise up my bonny lassie
Mak haste and come awa
There’s a vessel lying bound for Caledonia

Oh said the sailor, are ye willing for tae pay
Five hundred guineas
Afore on board ye gay?
I’ll pay them plack and farthing
Afore on board I go
If ye’ll tak me tae my bonny Caledonia

Oh said the sailor her money we will tak
And when we’re on the sea
We’ll throw her over deck
Or sell her for a slave
Lang ere she win ava
And she’ll never see her bonny Caledonia

Well said the captain, well that’ll never do
For there are nae slaves
Sold intae oor country noo
They’d hang us ane and a’
They would hang us every man
If we sold her for a slave to Caledonia

Well said the sailor she’s lying doon below
She’s bound hand and foot
Ready overboard to throw
She’s bound hand and foot
Ready overboard to throw
And she’ll never see her bonny Caledonia

So the captain away tae the fair maid he has gane
Says what is the reason
That ye’re lying here sae lang An’ what is the reason
That ye’re lying here at all?
For you’ve paid your passage dear tae Caledonia

Oh said the lassie, oh woe is me
That ever I was born
Sic hardships for tae see
For the sailors got a lassie
He likes better far than me
And it causes me to weep for Caledonia

So the captain away to the sailor he has gane
He’s ta‘en him by the neck
And him overboard has thrown
Saying tak this cup o’ water
Though the liquor be but sma‘
And drink your lassie’s health tae Caledonia

They’ve sailed east and they’ve sailed west
Until they reached the land
That they a’ loved the best
For the winds they did roar
And the seas they did beat
And they’ve all arrived safe to Caledonia

Well they hadna been there
But three quarters o’ a year
When in fine silks and satins
He’s made her for tae wear
When in fine silks and satins
He’s made her for tae go
Noo she’s the captain’s wife in Caledonia
Noo she’s the captain’s wife in Caledonia

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