G                              C                 G
Bad luck to the rolling water, bad luck to the salty brine,
  C            G                  D
I only had the one true love, she swore she would be mine.
G                              C             G
Now she’s gone and left me and wandered far away,
C              G               D   G
Left me crying here beside the water.

[Verse 1]
     G                                C                G
Well Nancy Doyle it was her name, she was a fine young lady,
  C               G                   D
Until she sailed away from me and she almost drove me crazy.
     G                            C                G
Well Nancy came from Dublin town, right beside the Poddle,
     C             G               D                  G
‘Til o’er the sea away from me she chanced all for to toddle.

[Chorus]
    G                              C                 G
Bad luck to the rolling water, bad luck to the salty brine,
  C            G                  D
I only had the one true love, she swore she would be mine.
G                              C             G
Now she’s gone and left me and wandered far away,
C              G               D   G
Left me crying here beside the water.

[Verse 2]
    G                                         C                  G
Her eyes were wild and shone bright blue, her laugh was full and hearty,
    C                 G                 D
Her humour droll, the life and soul and centre of every party.
          G                       C                     G
She could drink a pint of whiskey all straight from the can,
         C                  G             D                  G
When the night was done and dusted it was then she’d hold my hand.

[Chorus]
    G                              C                 G
Bad luck to the rolling water, bad luck to the salty brine,
  C            G                  D
I only had the one true love, she swore she would be mine.
G                              C             G
Now she’s gone and left me and wandered far away,
C              G               D   G
Left me crying here beside the water.

[Verse 3]
    G                             C        G
She might not have been Aurora, a Flora or Diana,
    C                     G              D
But she sang songs in the back tap room along to the ould piana.
    G                       C             G
She was not Euternatia, nor was she Venus bright,
    C                    G                 D             G
But she could drink much more than you and beat you in a fight.

[Chorus]
    G                              C                 G
Bad luck to the rolling water, bad luck to the salty brine,
  C            G                  D
I only had the one true love, she swore she would be mine.
G                              C             G
Now she’s gone and left me and wandered far away,
C              G               D   G
Left me crying here beside the water.

[Verse 4]
     G                                C             G
Well there she was at work one day pretending to be sober,
     C                G              D
When up there steps a dandy gent all for to look her over.
   G                         C                    G
He says ‘I have an offer - I think you’ll find it grand!
      C          G           D               G
We’ll sail away upon the sea smuggling contraband.’

[Chorus]
    G                              C                 G
Bad luck to the rolling water, bad luck to the salty brine,
  C            G                  D
I only had the one true love, she swore she would be mine.
G                              C             G
Now she’s gone and left me and wandered far away,
C              G               D   G
Left me crying here beside the water.

[Verse 5]
     G                                    C                 G
What could I say, what could I do? It was more than I could offer,
  C              G                   D
I had to let her spread her wings, I couldn’t try to stop her,
G                              C                 G
Now she collects fine diamonds vases and antique rugs,
     C               G              D                  G
With all the bags of money that she makes from dealing drugs.

[Chorus]
    G                              C                 G
Bad luck to the rolling water, bad luck to the salty brine,
  C            G                  D
I only had the one true love, she swore she would be mine.
G                              C             G
Now she’s gone and left me and wandered far away,
C              G               D   G
Left me crying here beside the water.

[Verse 6]
   G                         C               G
Oh Nancy, dearest Nancy, one thousand times adieu,
     C                    G                D
I’ll ne’er forget ‘til my dying breath the times I spent with you.
       G                          C               G
Though now I’m old and feeble and shaking on each knee,
   C                  G               D         G
If ever you come this way again we’ll go upon a spree.

[Chorus]
    G                              C                 G
Bad luck to the rolling water, bad luck to the salty brine,
  C            G                  D
I only had the one true love, she swore she would be mine.
G                              C             G
Now she’s gone and left me and wandered far away,
C              G               D   G
Left me crying here beside the water.