We parted on the shore

AKA [Baltimore (Up she goes)]
First Published 1906
Writer/composer Harry Lauder Roud RN41955

Music Hall Performers Harry Lauder
Folk performances Collected from the singing of: None in this form but see Baltimore (Up she Goes)

We parted on the shore from Francis and Day sheet music (New York, 1906)

It's years and years and years and years and years and years and years
Since I parted from my sweetheart on the shore
I never will forget the sicht she shed so many tears
I'd never seen so many tears before
She asked me if I'd think of her, and I said perhaps I would
But I'd often broke my promises before
And then she stood, and sat and wept, and then began to weep
And so when I saw that, we parted on the shore

We parted on the shore, we parted on the shore
I said, "Goodbye, my love, I'm bound for Baltimore."
I kissed her on the cheek, and the crew began to roar
Cheerio, dearie-o, we parted on the shore.

For years and years and years and years, and years and years and years
I sailed away across the maging rain
I'd often lay in bunk at nicht, and hoped and hoped and hoped
And hoped I'd never see her face again.
The more I'd lie in my bunk and hope, I'd lie in my bunk and hope
I'd lie in my bunk and hope, and hope the more
And then the great big tears would stand and roll and roll
Just like the waves that roll upon the shore

So for years and years and years and years, and years and years and years
I never lived on anything but hope
Till I went to was my face one day upon the upper deck
And the captain swore I'd tried to eat the soap
So he took me to his cabin and he had me drink and drink
A drink of drink I never drank before
And when I drank that drink of drink the captain had me drink
I thought of her I'd left upon the shore

This music hall song written, composed and sung by Harry Lauder seem to have provided part of the chorus of the sea shanty which is usually known as Baltimore or Up she goes . The original song does not seem to have featured in the repertoire of traditional singers, but the sea shanty has been collected many times both from sailors and traditional singers.

Harry sings it in 1906:

Sources: