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A Sailor’s Life Lyrics by Fairport Convention

Unhalfbricking

1969

A sailor's life, it is a merry life
He robs young girls of their heart's delight
Leaving them behind to weep and mourn
They never know when they will return
"Well, there's four and twenty all in a row
My true love he makes the finest show
He's proper, tall, genteel withal
And if I don't have him, I'll have none at all"
"Oh, father build for me a bonny boat
That on the wide ocean I may float
And every Queen's ship that we pass by
There I'll inquire for my sailor boy"
They had not sailed long upon the deep
When a Queen's ship they chanced to meet
"You sailors all, pray tell me true
Does my sweet William sail among your crew?"
"Oh no, fair maiden, he is not here
For he's been drownded, we greatly fear
On yon green island, as we passed it by
There we lost sight of your sailing boy"
Well, she rung her hands and she tore her hair
She was like a young girl in great despair
And her little boat against a rock did run
"How can I live now? My sweet William is gone"
Credits
Fairport Convention

Fairport Convention

About “A Sailor’s Life” by Fairport Convention

Read the complete lyrics to "A Sailor’s Life" by Fairport Convention from the album "Unhalfbricking" in 1969. 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 Post-Rock, Folk Rock, Psychedelic Rock.

"A Sailor’s Life" is performed by Fairport Convention. from the album "Unhalfbricking" in 1969 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 "A Sailor’s Life", explore more songs by Fairport Convention 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.

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Frequently asked questions

"A Sailor’s Life" is credited to Fairport Convention. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"A Sailor’s Life" appears on "Unhalfbricking" in 1969.

Visit the Fairport Convention artist page at /artist/fairport-convention for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.