House Carpenter Songtext
von Martin Simpson

It′s well met, well met my own true love
Well met, well met cried he
I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
All for the love of thee
Then I could have married the king′s daughter dear
She would have married me
I forsook her crowns of gold
All for the love of thee
Well if you could have married the king's daughter dear
Then I'm sure you are to blame
I am married to a house carpenter
And I find him a nice young man
But if you would forsake your house carpenter
And go along with me
I′d take you to where the grass grows green
On the banks of Italy
But if I should forsake my house carpenter
And go along with thee
What have you got to maintain me on
Keep me from poverty


I got six ships, six ships all out upon the sea
I′ve got seven more upon dry land
A hundred and ten are brave sailing men
They'll all be at your command
Well she′s picked up her own wee babe
Kisses has given him three
Saying stay right here with my house carpenter
Keep him good company
And then she's put on her rich attire
So glorious to behold
And as they trod their way along
She shone like the glittering gold
And as they come down and through that town
A beautiful ship she did see
And the masts were trimmed with beaten gold
The spars of ivory
And she has stepped on board that ship
With the flowing of the tide
And as they passed the harbour bar
Not a sailor has she espied
And they had not sailed a league and a league
And I am sure it was not three
She espied his cloven foot
And she wept most bitterly
Why do you weep my own true love
Do you weep for your gold in store
Or do you weep for your house carpenter
That you′ll never see anymore
Well I do not weep for my house carpenter
Yet for any gold in store
I do weep for my own wee babe
That I'll never see anymore
And what hills, what hills are those my love
The hills so fair and high
Those are the hills of heaven my love
But they′re not for you or I
And what hills, what hills are those my love
The hills so dark and low
Those are the hills of hell my love
Where you and I must go
And he's taken the foremast all in his hand
The mainmast by his knee
And he broke the ship into two clean halves
And sank her to the bottom of the sea