Lowlands

I dreamed a dream, the other night,
Ch. Lowlands, Lowlands away me John
I dreamed a dream the other night
Ch. Lowlands Away
I dreamed my love came in my sleep
Ch. Lowlands, Lowlands away me John
Her cheeks were wet her eyes did weep
Ch. Lowlands Away
She came to me as my best bride
Ch. Lowlands, Lowlands away me John
All dressed in white like some fair bride
Ch. Lowlands Away
And bravely in her bosom fair
Ch. Lowlands, Lowlands away me John
A red, red rose my love did wear
Ch. Lowlands Away
She made no sound no word she said
Ch. Lowlands, Lowlands away me John
And then I knew my love was dead
Ch. Lowlands Away
I bound the weeper round my head
Lowlands, Lowlands away me John
For then I knew my love was dead
Lowlands Away
And then awoke to hear the cry
Lowlands, Lowlands away me John
Oh watch on deck, oh watch ahoy
Lowlands Away

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Normally the sailor, in his shanties anyway, avoided sentiment and this shanty, used at both windlass and pumps is one of the few where a certain amount of tear pulling material creeps in. it is posssible that the general theme and wording come from some old border legend of Scottish or Geordie origin - the legend of drowned sweethearts being quite common in this part of the world. The practice of binding 'the weeper' round ones head also appears in othe folk songs (It was the theme of Steeleye Span's All Around my Hat which made the Pop Charts in the 1970's) Lowlands was a song in which "stringing out" (repeating the solo lines to make the song last out the job) was customary. Being rather difficult to sing the song was in general only attempted by good shantymen.

Midi Sequence Credit - Harri Crenband