From Jimmie Cronin, London, England

Sources: The James Madison Carpenter Collection AFC 1972/001 Cylinder 036 01:41; Disc side 076 02:50; MS pp. 03138, 09006

Verses 2-4 from the broadside “The Country I’m Leaving Behind”.

1. I ne’er shall forget when we parted
   I left my true love on the quay
   She told me not to be down hearted
   But hove to our anchor are we.
   chorus:
   Our anchor is up to the bow,  boys
   Our tops’ls are well sheeted home
   It’s farewell to dear old London
   And all the flash girls on the town.
2. My barque leaves the harbour to-morrow,
   Across the wide ocean to go,
   But, Kitty, my burden of sorrow
   Is more than I’d wish you to know.
3. There’s a dreary dark cloud hanging o’er me,
   And a mighty big cloud on my mind,
   And I think of the prospects before me,
   And the country I’m leaving behind.
4. Let stormy clouds gather above me,
   And friendship prove stale or unkind,
   I’ll know there is one heart will love me
   In the country I’m leaving behind.
5. It’s when I return from the ocean
   It’s you that I will make my bride
   For I have a queer sort of a notion
   Of a baby or two by my side.
   final chorus
   And our anchor’s no more to the bow boys
   And our tops’ls are not sheeted home
   It’s welcome to dear old London
   And  all the flash girls on the town.