The Norfolk Girls
Traditional:
courtesy of www.SailorSongs.com
Our topsails reef'd and filled away all snug aloft we know
Despite the storms we'll still be gay among our friends below
Come gather round and listen then with spirits warm and true
Here's a health to all the Norfolk girls and Portsmouth maidens too
CHORUS after each verse
Here's a health to all the Norfolk girls and Portsmouth maidens too
Here's a health to all the Norfolk girls and Portsmouth maidens too
May the darksome eye of loveliness and that of ocean's ray
Shed only tears of happiness forever and for aye
Fill up tho' far away from home and foreign scenes we view
We cherish still the Norfolk girls and the Portsmouth maidens too
May the cheek whereon reposes emotion young and dear
Still wear the hue of roses thro' each succeeding year
We'll drink to by past scenes and hope some day again to view
The lovely girls of Norfolk and the Portsmouth maidens too
And if we never backward go borne home on ocean's breast
But find among the caves below a sailor's place of rest
Still ere we close our eyes and pass beneath the depths of blue
We'll think of all the Norfolk girls and Portsmouth maidens too
Should the foe appear before us to our guns we'll fondly cling
While our stars are gleaming o'er us shall their notes of freedom ring
While life's warm stream is flowing our eager pulses through
We'll fight for home the Norfolk girls And Portsmouth maidens too
Fill up fill up yet once again before we say goodnight
From every glass its sweetness drain to friendship's steady light
May peace around our kindred dwell all beings loved and true
The lovely girls of Norfolk and the Portsmouth maidens too
Good night good night our pillows now with pleasant thoughts we'll press
And dream some hand rests on our brow its slumbering to bless
Amid delightful reveries that fancy brings to view
Perhaps we'll meet the Norfolk girls and Portsmouth maidens too
The author of this website has put a lot of time and effort into gathering the greatest collection of sea shanties for the world to enjoy - There are songs that have been to sung to a job of work at sea for many, many years and collecting them has been a great endeavour. - Roger Chartier has made the effort out of his own interest and the requests that he has gotten to do this work from fellow musicians who wanted a good source of sea shanties to draw on and learn from. He has been told that for this effort he is a remarkable man.
