natalie merchant
house carpenter
"Well met, well met And I know true love Well met, well metâ€, said he â€œIâ€™m just returning from the salt, salt sea And itâ€™s all for the love of theeâ€ â€œcome in, come in My own true love And have a seat with me Itâ€™s been three-fourths Of a long, long year Since together we have beenâ€ â€œno I canâ€™t come in And I canâ€™t sit down For I have but a momentâ€™s time They say that youâ€™re married To a house carpenter And your heart shall never be mineâ€ â€œwell I could have married The kingâ€™s daughter fair She would have married me But I forsaked upon Her crowns of gold And itâ€™s all for the love of theeâ€ â€œnow will you forsake on Your house carpenter And go along with me? Iâ€™ll take you where The grass grows green On the banks of the bitter reedsâ€ She pickâ€™d up her wee little babe And kisses, gave it three saying, â€œstay right here my darling little one Keep your papa companyâ€ Now they had not been On the ship two weeks I swear it was not three When his true love began To weep and moan And she wept most bitterly â€œare you weeping For my silver and gold Are you weeping for my store or are You weeping for that house carpenter That you neâ€™er shall see no more?â€  â€œa curse on the sailor she swore A curse, a curse she swore You robbed me of my sweet little babe That I never shall see no more!â€ Well, they had not been On the ship three weeks I swear it was not four Until there came a leak in the ship And she sank.