A ship's crew of sailors as you may understand Bound for the West Indies or some foreign land There's one lad amongst them I wish I never knew He's my bonnie, bonnie sailor with a jacket so blue The first time I saw my love he'd a spy gla** in his hand I went to talk to him but he would not stand I went to talk to him but from me he flew And my heart it went along with him and his jacket so blue Says I my noble sailor I'll buy your discharge I'll free you from sailing and set you at large I'll free you from that man-o-war if your heart does be true And I'd never let a stain on your jacket so blue Well said I my noble lady you'll buy my discharge You'll free me from sailing and set me at large You'll free me from that man-o-war if my heart does be true Ah but then what would my own lovely Scotch la**ie do For I have a la**ie in my own country And I would not slight her for her poverty If I were to slight her then my heart wouldn't be true For she never left a stain on my jacket so blue I'll write off to Dublin to an artist of sk** And I'll have my love's picture drawn out in its full And I'll place it in my chamber quite close to my view And I'll say I loved a sailor with a heart that was true