Leave Her Johnny, Leave Her

from Old Road Blues by Ray Woodruff

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lyrics

O the times are hard and the wages low, Leave her, Johnny, leave her!
I think it's time for us to go! An' it's time for us to leave her!

O I thought I heard the old man say, Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
Tomorrow ye will get your pay! An' it's time for us to leave her!

Leave her, Johnny, leave her!
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
For the voyage is done an' the winds don't blow,
An' it's time for us to leave her!

It's Liverpool Pat with his tarpaulin hat, Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
It's Yankee John the packet rat. An' it's time for us to leave her!

It's rotten beef an' weev'ly bread, Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
It's pump or drown the old man said. An' it's time for us to leave her!

CHORUS

The wind was foul an' the sea ran high, Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
She shipped it green an' none went by. An' it's time for us to leave her!

We'd be better off in a nice clean jail, Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
With all night in an' plenty o' ale! An' it's time for us to leave her!

CHORUS

The ship won't steer, or stay, or wear, Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
An' so us shellbacks learnt to swear. An' it's time for us to leave her!

I hate to sail on this rotten tub, Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
No grog allowed and rotten grub! An' it's time for us to leave her!

CHORUS

The old man shouts, the pumps stand by, Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
Oh, we can never suck her dry. An' it's time for us to leave her!

We swear by rote for want o' more, Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her!
But now we're through so we'll go on shore. An' it's time for us to leave her!

CHORUS

O the times are hard and the wages low, Leave her, Johnny, leave her!
I think it's time for us to go! An' it's time for us to leave her!

credits

from Old Road Blues, released May 1, 2009

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about

Ray Woodruff Richmond, Virginia

Songwriter. Guitarist. Instrumentalist. Visuals. Lost writer.

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