Leaving of Liverpool
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Lyrics
Farewell to Prince's Landing Stage
River Mersey, fare thee well
I am bound for California,
A place I know right well
- Chorus:
- So fare thee well, my own true love
- For when I return, united we will be
- It's not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me
- But my darling when I think of thee
I'm bound off for California
By the way of stormy Cape Horn
And I'm bound to write you a letter, love
When I am homeward bound
- (Chorus)
I have signed on a Yankee clipper ship
Davy Crockett is her name
And Burgess is the Captain of her
And they that say she's a floating shame
- (Chorus)
I have shipped with Burgess once before
And I think I know him well
If a man's a sailor, he can get along
If not, then he's sure in Hell
- (Chorus)
Farewell to lower Frederick Street
Ensign Terrace and Park Lane
For I think it will be a long, long time
Before I see you again
- (Chorus)
Oh the sun is on the harbour, love
And I wish I could remain
For I know it will be a long, long time
Till I see you again
- (Chorus)
"Leaving of Liverpool", (Roud 9435) also known as Fare Thee Well, My Own True Love is an Anglo - Irish folk ballad, a popular and wistful entry in the nation's pub song catalogue. The sea song's narrator laments his emigration to America and the thought of leaving his birthplace and loved ones (especially his "own true love"). For Irish immigrants, Liverpool was the natural point of embarkation because it had the necessary shipping lines and a choice of destinations and infrastructure, including special emigration trains directly to The Princes Landing Stage (which is mentioned in the song's first line).
It appears to have been found as a sailor's song, but recorded only once, from Richard Maitland, He learned it on board the "General Knox" around 1885. Ref: see Inside Bluegrass. It has been recorded by Ewan MacColl, The Pogues and many others. The collector of the song was William Main Doerflinger, an American folk-song collector particularly associated with sea-songs. Doerflinger.
[edit] Adaptations
The tune was adapted by Bob Dylan in January 1963, retitled simply as "Farewell", a variation which has never been officially released.
Many Irish/Celtic bands have released versions of Leaving of Liverpool, including The Dubliners, Gaelic Storm and The Pogues.
The Seekers recorded it for their 1965 album, A World of Our Own
"Leaving of Liverpool" also inspired cowboy music. Ed Stabler wrote a cowboy's version called "The Leavin' of Texas". A sample of those lyrics:
- And it's fare thee well my own true love.
- We'll meet another day, another time.
- It's not the leavin' of Texas that's grievin' me,
- But my darlin' who's bound to stay behind.
