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Botany Bay Lyrics
Farewell to old England forever
Farewell to me sweetheart as well
Oh keep me child safe in your arms love
I need you like no words can tell
Too ra ly too ra ly adity
Too ra ly too ra ly ay
Too ra ly too ra ly adity
Sailing to Botany Bay
The captain that is our commander
He sails by the stars and the sun
If e'er well I live I'll return again
To me darling sweet kisses I'd run.
CHORUS
For seven long years he's transported
Seven long years and a day
Oh I wish I were drowned on the ocean bed
For they've taken my truelove away
CHORUS
If I had the wings of a turtle dove
I'd soar on me pinions and fly
I'd fly to the arms of me Polly love
And in her sweet bosom I'd lie.
CHORUS
Farewell to me sweetheart as well
Oh keep me child safe in your arms love
I need you like no words can tell
Too ra ly too ra ly ay
Too ra ly too ra ly adity
Sailing to Botany Bay
He sails by the stars and the sun
If e'er well I live I'll return again
To me darling sweet kisses I'd run.
Seven long years and a day
Oh I wish I were drowned on the ocean bed
For they've taken my truelove away
I'd soar on me pinions and fly
I'd fly to the arms of me Polly love
And in her sweet bosom I'd lie.
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This is such a beautiful song, and very typical of the style of songs done by Kate Rusby. The song is about leaving everything behind, specifically to go to Botany Bay, Australia. Whether this is a voyage of exploration, or referring to a prison ship taking exiles to Australia I am not sure, though I am inclined towards the latter due to the melancholy present in the song.
Yeah, it's a prison ship. 'For seven long years he's transported'.