Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

The Banks of Green Willow Lyrics by Brian Peters

Songs of Trial and Triumph

0

Oh it’s of a sea captain lived by the sea-side
And he’s courted of a lady till she’s proved by child
"Go and fetch some of your father’s gold and some of your mother’s money
To sail across the ocean along with young Johnny."
Now they hadn’t been a-sailing six days, no, not many
Before she needed woman’s help but could not get any
And they hadn’t been a-sailing a mile, or not many
Before she was delivered of a beautiful baby
Now they hadn’t sailed on for today and tomorrow
She was wringing of her hands, she was crying with sorrow
But, oh, says the captain, "My ship will not sail for me
Though the sails are outspread she lies still on the salt sea."
"O Captain, O Captain, here’s fifty gold pounds
To take me back safe again, to turn the ship round
"Oh no," says the captain, "such a thing it never can be
For ‘tis better to lose two lives than it is to lose many."
"Then bring me a silk napkin and bind my head easy
And throw me right overboard, both me and my baby."
So he’s brought a silk napkin and bound it so softly
And he’s thrown her right overboard both her and her baby
"Oh, fetch me the lifeboat and row her back to me
Oh, bring my love back again, both she and her baby
Ah, but see, boys, how she do tumble and see how she do taver
I’m afraid that she is drowning, which makes my heart quaver
"Well, I will write me a letter, tell her friends that my love is drowned
And she shall have a coffin if she ever is found
And her coffin shall be made of the gold shining yellow
And she will be buried on the banks of green willow."
And her coffin shall be made of the gold shining yellow
And she will be buried on the banks of green willow
Credits
Brian Peters

Brian Peters

About “The Banks of Green Willow” by Brian Peters

Read the complete lyrics to "The Banks of Green Willow" by Brian Peters from the album "Songs of Trial and Triumph". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"The Banks of Green Willow" is performed by Brian Peters. from the album "Songs of Trial and Triumph" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Banks of Green Willow", explore more songs by Brian Peters using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Brian Peters · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"The Banks of Green Willow" is credited to Brian Peters. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"The Banks of Green Willow" appears on "Songs of Trial and Triumph".

Visit the Brian Peters artist page at /artist/brian-peters for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.