Leave Her Johnny

I thought I heard the Old Man say
“Leave her, Johnny, leave her”
It’s a long, hard pull to the next pay day
And it’s time for us to leave her

The skipper was bad and the mate was worse
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
He would knock you down with a spike and a curse
And it’s time for us to leave her

Oh, the winds were foul and the work was hard
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
From the Liverpool docks tot he London Yard
And it’s time for us to leave her

Leave her, Johnny, leave her
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her
For the voyage is done and the winds don’t blow
And it’s time for us to leave her

There was rotten meat and a moldy bread
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
But you’d eat it or you’d starve to death
And it’s time for us to leave her

And I pray that I may never see
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
A hungry ship the likes of she
And it’s time for us to leave her

Leave her, Johnny, leave her
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her
For the voyage is done and the winds don’t blow
And it’s time for us to leave her

Leave her, Johnny, leave her
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
For the voyage is done and the winds don’t blow
And it’s time for us to leave her

Now’s the time to say goodbye
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
Oh the pumps they are all long pumped dry
And it’s time for us to leave her

Leave her, Johnny, leave her
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
For the voyage is done and the winds don’t blow
And it’s time for us to leave her
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
For the voyage is done and the winds don’t blow
And it’s time for us to leave her

—
Appears on ‘Back to the Harbour’ available in the store.
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