A ship's crew of sailors as you may understand
Bound for the West Indies or some foreign land
There's one lad amongst them I wish I never knew
He's my bonnie, bonnie sailor with a jacket so blue

Well, the first time I saw my love he'd a spy glass in his hand
I went to talk to him but he would not stand
I went to talk to him but from me he flew
And my heart it went along with him and his jacket so blue

Says I my noble sailor I'll buy your discharge
I'll free you from sailing and set you at large
I'll free you from that man-o-war if your heart does be true
And I'd never let a stain on your jacket so blue

Well, said I my noble lady you'll buy my discharge?
You'll free me from sailing and set me at large
You'll free me from that man-o-war if my heart does be true
Ah but then what would my own lovely Scotch lassie do

For I have a lassie in my own country
And I would not slight her for her poverty
If I were to slight her then my heart wouldn't be true
For she never left a stain on my jacket so blue

I'll write off to Dublin to an artist of skill
And I'll have my love's picture drawn out in its full
And I'll place it in my chamber quite close to my view
And I'll say I loved a sailor with a heart that was true