G        C                  D          G
There was an apprentice, lived in Strawberry Lane
        C            D                           G
She was loved by her master and her mistress the same
  C           D                            G  ~ ~ Em
Until a young sailor came sailing o'er the sea
    G            C        D   G
And that was the start of her misery


[VERSE 2:]
                         C          D             G
This young maid being an urfin, she thought it no harm
       C       D                        G
For to go into bed for to keep his back warm
   C                 D                                 G   ~ ~ Em
He hugged her and he kissed her and he called her his 'Dear'
           G              C             D         G
Saying, "I wish that this night were as long as a year"


[VERSE 3:]
                  C           D       G
It was early next morning the sailor arose
    C        D                        G
And into her apron he put handfuls of gold
         C             D                                 G   ~ ~ Em
Saying, "Take this and keep it for the wrong that I have done
         G                C               D             G
For this night I may have left you with a daughter or a son"


[VERSE 4:]
                C           D                 G
"And if it be a girl child, dandle her on yer knee
    C          D                          G
And if it be a male child, call him after me
    C            D                            G   ~ ~ Em
And when he is a man, you can dress him up in blue
          G           C                D             G
And he'll skip up the rigging like his daddy used to do


[CHORUS:]

                   C              D                G
And it's home boys home, and it's home I'd like to be
     C         D                    G
It's home for awhile in my own country
          C           D                     G   ~ ~ Em
Where the Oak and the Ash and the bonny Elm tree
         G           C           D        G
They are all growing green in my own country