Pay me, pay me - pay me my money down,
Pay me or go to jail - pay me my money down.
I thought I heard the captain say - pay me my money down,
Tomorrow is our sailing day - pay me my money down.
As soon as the boat was clear of the bar - pay me ...
The captain knocked me down with a spar - pay ...
The very next day we sailed away - pay me my ....
Sailed the seas for a year and a day - pay .....
Well forty nights, nights at sea - ...
Captain worked the last dollar out of me - ...
If I'd a known the boss was blind - ...
I wouldn't have worked 'til half past nine - ...
My fiancee she said to me - ...
I don't give my favours free - ...
The judge he said “Look here you mug, - ...
You'll pay your fine, or you'll go to jug! - ...
My wife she said to me one day - ...
You've had your fun, so don't delay - ...
If I’d been a rich man’s son,
I’d sit on the river and watch it run,
There's a lot more verses to this song - ...
But I guess we'd better be moving along - ...
Traditionel Georgia Sea Islands v/ Lydia Parrish 1942