143 - Willie Taylor

Words: Traditional
Tune: Traditional

Willie Taylor and his youthful lover
Full of mirth and loyalty
They were going to the church to be married
He was pressed and sent to sea

Dally-dilly-dum, dilly-um-dum-dum-dum
Dally-dilly-dum, dilly-um-dum-day

She dressed herself up like a sailor
On her breast she wore a star
Her beautiful fingers long and slender
She gave them all just a smear of tar

Dally-dilly-dum, dilly-um-dum-dum-dum…

On the ship there being a skirmish
She being one amongst the rest
Her silver button flew off her jacket
There appeared her snow-white breast

Dally-dilly-dum, dilly-um-dum-dum-dum…

Says the captain to this fair maid
“What misfortune took you here?”
“I’m in search of my true lover
Whom you pressed on the other year”

Dally-dilly-dum, dilly-um-dum-dum-dum…

“If you’re in search of your true lover
Pray come tell to me his name”
“Willie Taylor they do call him
But Fitzgerald is his name”

Dally-dilly-dum, dilly-um-dum-dum-dum
Dally-dilly-dum, dilly-um-dum-day

“If you get up tomorrow morning
Early as the break of day
There you’ll find your Willie Taylor
Walking along with his lady gay”

Dally-dilly-dum, dilly-um-dum-dum-dum…

She got up the very next morning
Early as the break of day
There she spied her Willie Taylor
Walking along with his lady gay

Dally-dilly-dum, dilly-um-dum-dum-dum…

She drew out a brace of pistols
That she had at her command
There she shot her Willie Taylor
With his bride at his right hand

Dally-dilly-dum, dilly-um-dum-dum-dum…

When the captain came to hear it
Of the deeds that she had done
He made her a ship’s commander
Over a vessel for the Isle of Man

Dally-dilly-dum, dilly-um-dum-dum-dum
Dally-dilly-dum, dilly-um-dum-day