"Nance Lee" (1875)
Ballad.
Words by Frederick Edward Weatherly, M.A., 1848-1949
Music by Stephen Adams
[pseud. for Michael Maybrick]

New York: Free With The New York Family Story Paper, No. 252
[Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co.]
[Source: [1875]175/130@Levy;; 1877-15530@LoC]

1. Of all the wives as e’er you knew, 
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho! yeo ho! 
There’s none like Nancy Lee, I know, 
Yeo ho! lads! ho! yeo ho! 
See there she stands an’ waves her hands upon the quay, 
An’ ev’ry day when I’m away, 
She’ll watch for me, 
An’ whisper low, when tempests blow, for Jack at sea, 
Yeo ho! lads, ho! yeo ho! 

CHORUS [sung after each verse]
The saillor’s wife, the sailor’s star shall be, 
Yeo ho! we go across the sea, 
The sailor’s wife, the sailor’s star shall be, 
The sailor’s wife, his star shall be.

2. The harbor’s past, the breezes blow, 
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho! yeo ho! 
The long eve we come back, I know, 
Yeo ho! lads! ho! yeo ho! 
But true an’ bright from morn till night, my home will be. 
An’ all so neat, an’ snug, an’ sweet, for Jack at sea, 
An’ Nancy’s face to bless the place, an’ welcome me, 
Yeo ho! lads, ho! yeo ho!

3. The bo’ s’n pipes the watch below, 
Yeo ho! lads, ho! Yeo ho! yeo! ho! 
Then here’s a health afore we go. 
Yeo ho! lads, ho! yeo ho! 
A long, long life to my sweet wife, and mates at sea; 
An’ keep our bones from Davy Jones, where’er we be, 
An’ may you meet a mate as sweet as Nancy Lee. 
Yeo ho! lads, ho! yeo ho!