Rio Grande

O say, were you ever in Rio Grande?
   O you Rio!
It's there that the river runs down golden strand;
   And we're bound for the Rio Grande.

Then away love, away,
O you Rio,
O fare you well my pretty young girl,
For we're bound for the Rio Grande.

The anchor is weighed and the sails they are set,
The maids we are leaving we'll never forget,

So it's pack up your donkey and get under way,
The girls we are leaving can take our half pay.

We've a jolly good ship and a jolly good crew,
A jolly good mate and a good skipper, too.

Say goodbye to Polly and goodbye to Sue,
And you who are listening, it's goodbye to you,

Goodbye and farewell to you ladies of town,
We've left you enough for to buy a silk gown,

Now fill up your glasses and sing fare you well,
To all the young lasses who love you so well,

Now you Bowery ladies we'd have you to know
We're bound to the south'ard, O Lord, let us go!

Heave with a will and heave long and strong,
Sing the good chorus, for 'tis a good song.

Heave only one pawl, then 'vast heavin', belay!
Heave steady, because we say farewell today.

We'll sell our salt cod for molasses and rum
And get home again 'fore Thanksgiving has come

The chain's up and down, now the bosun did say,
Heave up to the hawsepipe, the anchor's aweigh.

Our good ship's a-going out over the bar
And we'll point her nose for the South-er-on Star