{"id":6176,"date":"2020-10-28T19:05:06","date_gmt":"2020-10-28T19:05:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=6176"},"modified":"2026-05-16T10:10:43","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T10:10:43","slug":"goodbye-john-the-lass-that-loves-a-sailor-chickabiddy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/goodbye-john-the-lass-that-loves-a-sailor-chickabiddy\/","title":{"rendered":"Goodbye John"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>The Lass That Loves A Sailor
Chickabiddy<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1867<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writer\/composer<\/td>GWHunt<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN24344<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Arthur Lloyd<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Source Singers<\/strong>
Bennett, Everett 1958 Canada, Newfoundland<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
'Twas on a Friday morning \nI Bid London Town, good bye,\nThe wind it blow'd great guns my boys\nAnd the waters ran sky high.\nAs I waved my new Bandana to\nMy Nancy on the shore,\nShe sobb'd and sigh'd and wept and cried,\nWhen I sail'd for Singapore.\n\nGoodbye John now don't stop long,\nBut come back soon to your own Chickabiddy\nFor my heart beats so, when the winds do blow\nThat takes away my sailor.<\/em>\n\nSweet Nancy was a lass, my boys\nOf fifteen stone full weight.\nHer face, it was a face my boys\nLike a good sized Dinner Plate\nShe kept a sweet-stuff shop my boys\n'T would your eyes do good to see\nSold Lollypops and Tom Thumbs drops\nBut nought so sweet as she.\n <\/strong>\nWhen I sail'd for foreign parts I'd bring\nBack presents to my love\nSuch as Injin Hats and Turkish Mats\nOr a Chinese Turtle Dove,\nSweet Nance would write me billey doos\nWhich took away my breath\nAnd said as how she lov'd her John\nWith kind regards till death, so loving\n <\/strong>\nOne night I had a dream my boys\nThat Nance appear'd to me\nShe look'd just like a mermaid boys\nWhat floats about the sea\nShe wagg'd her tail at me my boys!\nAnd then she shook her head\nThen seem'd to speak in fishy tones\nAnd this is what she said -\n <\/strong>\nOur gallant craft reach'd home my boys\nNext day to come on board\nMy Nance put off in a boat to meet\nHer John whom she ador'd\nWhen messmates, hard the tale to tell\nShe swerved! the boat capsized!\nDown Down to the bottom went sweet Nance\nThe girl I dearly priz'd.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>
\n
A song from GW Hunt<\/a> sung in the Halls in the 1860s\/70s by Arthur Lloyd<\/a>, it survives as sheet music, broadsides and in several songbooks on both sides of the Atlantic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was collected by Kenneth Peacock from the singing of Everett Bennett, a traditional singer in Newfoundland, in 1958. Anna Kearney Guign\u00e9 discusses how  a song like this one might have reached the singer in The Forgotten Songs of the Newfoundland Outports<\/em>, see Angelina Brown<\/a>. One of three songs Lloyd sang about mermaids, all of which have later  been collected from traditional singers. The other two are The Man at the Nore<\/a> <\/em>and Married to a Mermaid<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
The song Featured in Lloyd’s annual tour of 1867:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Sept. 15, 1867;  <\/strong>The Era<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Added May 2026:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
An Irish version was printed in various American sonsgters, under the title “Chickabiddy”<\/em> (RNV32765)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CHICKABIDDY<\/strong>
[From: Six hundred and seventeen Irish songs and ballads (Wehman Bros, New York, c1898). Originally copyrighted by Oliver Ditson, 1868]

When leaving dear old Ireland, my poor Pat said unto me: 
\"May heaven guard you, Nora, dear, across the deep blue sea; 
But you'll not forget your own true lad, nor dear old Erin's shore
But hasten back to bless us with thine own sweet smile once more\" 

SPOKEN.-Saying: 
CHORUS.
To go is wrong - don't stop long: but come back to your own Chickabiddy,
For my heart beats so when away you go from Pat and poor old Ireland!<\/em> 

He kissed me with his ruby lips and gave me such a smack.
And said, \"In troth, before you go, faiks! I wish you would come back; 
The grass will not grow half so green, the sky seem half so bright, 
When Nora leaves old Ireland, for she's my heart's delight.\"

SPOKEN.-Saying:

I could not help the scalding tear that trickled down my cheek, 
Nor keep the big lump from my throat, that would not let me speak. 
I threw my arms about his neck and. to relieve his pain, 
Declared that I'd return to him and Ireland once again

SPOKEN.-Saying; <\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n