Last night as I lay dreaming and I dreamt of foreign lands 

I dreamt that I had met you and you took me by the hand 

And we walked down by the riverside,

we watched the waters flow 

And you told me when you left me you'd never let me go 



And we told the truth in whiskey ‘til we made the rafters ring, 

We'd laugh and chaff,

we had a half when the pints had made us sing, 

And when the night was over we'd stagger home to bed, 

We'd wake up in the morning

and we'd wonder what we said. 



We said love lasts forever, I suppose that could be true, 

When I looked into the embers, I thought that I saw you; 

But an ember's only ashes at the dawning of the day, 

When the mists upon the meadows swiftly rise and drift away. 

There's soldiermen and sailors

and there's men of high degree, 

There's tinkermen and tailors, and then there's always me, 

And if you looked upon me, would it seem so very mad 

That I dreamt of you that evening,

and the passion that we had. 

And now it all is over and now you're far away, 

And if I heard your voice now I don't know what I would say, 

The shop has long since loaded

and it's sailed from the quay, 

But I'll hold you in my arms, love, in the dream of yesterday.