House Carpenter Lyrics by Natalie Merchant

House Carpenter

"well met, well met
And I know true love
Well met, well met", said he
"I'm just returning from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee"

"come in, come in
My own true love
And have a seat with me
It's been three-fourths
Of a long, long year
Since together we have been"

"no I can't come in
And I can't sit down
For I have but a moment's time
They say that you're married
To a house carpenter
And your heart shall never be mine"

"well I could have married
The king's daughter fair
She would have married me
But I forsaked upon
Her crowns of gold
And it's all for the love of thee"

"now will you forsake on
Your house carpenter
And go along with me?
I'll take you where
The grass grows green
On the banks of the bitter reeds"

She pick'd up her wee little babe
And kisses, gave it three saying,
"stay right here my darling little one
Keep your papa company"

Now they had not been
On the ship two weeks
I swear it was not three
When his true love began
To weep and moan
And she wept most bitterly

"are you weeping
For my silver and gold
Are you weeping for my store or are
You weeping for that house carpenter
That you ne'er shall see no more?"


"a curse on the sailor she swore
A curse, a curse she swore
You robbed me of my sweet little babe
That I never shall see no more!"

Well, they had not been
On the ship three weeks
I swear it was not four
Until there came a leak in the ship
And she sank
To rise no more...