Sailor's Prayer

A traditional song of debated Irish origin, this song was re-written and popularized by famed folksinger and royal navy submariner Tom Lewis of Belfast on his 1987 album Surfacing!. Tom credits the chorus as traditional, having harvested it from the novel Send Down a Dove by Charles McHardy.
===Factoids===
The original chorus appears to stem from the following toast, recorded in a Bristol newspaper in 1830:
May God above, send down his love,
with swords as sharp as sickles,
to cut the throats of gentlefolks,
who grudge poor men their victuals."To the Editor of The Bristol Mercury" (1830)
==Lyrics==
These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns in their YouTube video; the original lyrics can be found here.
This dirty town has been my home
Since last I was a-sailin'
But I'll not stay another day
I'd sooner go a-whaling
{Chorus}
Oh! Lord above, send down a dove,
With wings as sharp as razors
To cut the throats of them there blokes
What sells bad beer to sailors
Paid off me score and then ashore
Me money soon was flying
With Judy Lee upon my knee
And in my ear she's lyin'
{Chorus}
With me newfound friends me money spends
Just as fast as winking
But when I make to clear the slate
The landlord says, "Keep drinking!"
{Chorus}
With me pay all gone, me clothes in pawn
And Judy set on leaving ("I'm leaving!")
Six months of pay gone in three days
But Judy isn't grieving
{Chorus}
When the crimp comes 'round I'll take his pound
And his hand I'll be shaking
Tomorrow morn, sail for the Horn
Just as the dawn is breaking
{Chorus}
For one last trip from port I'll ship
But next time round I'm swearing
I'll settle down in my hometown
No more I'll go seafaring
{Chorus 2x}
==Recordings==
====Music Videos====
*Music Video
====Gig Videos====
*The Three Tuns, Bristol (29 Nov 2018)
*Bie Daip - Appingedam (25 Aug 2019)
====Full Band Streams====
*The Longest Johns and Friends, El Pony Pisador! (12 Aug 2018)
*The Longest Johns and Friends, March. w/Sam Brookes (22 Mar 2019)
*Carry On My Wayward Stream (16 Sep 2020)
*STREAM (4 Aug 2021)
*Heinz Baked Stream (14 Sep 2022)
*Sega Streamcast (15 Feb 2023)
====Gaming Streams====
*Shanties?!?! On the sea?!?! Why yes it is... With Krotukk and Kharites_ - 02/04/2021
Category:Songs
Category:Traditional
Category:Dave Songs