Lowlands

Lowlands, lowlands, away my John
Oh my own mother she wrote to me
My dollar and a half a day
She wrote to me to come home from sea
Lowlands, lowlands away my John
She wrote to me to come home from sea
My dollar and a half a day
A dollar a day is a hoosier’s pay
Lowlands, lowlands a way my John
A dollar a day is a hoosier’s pay
My dollar and a half a day
Lowlands, lowlands, away my John
All in the night my true love came
Lowlands, lowlands away my John
All in the night my true love came
My dollar and a half a day
She came to me all in my sleep
Lowlands, lowlands away my John
She came to me all in my sleep
My dollar and a half a day
And then I knew my love was dead
Lowlands, lowlands away my John
And then I knew my love was dead
My dollar and a half a day
Lowlands, lowlands away my John
My dollar and a half a day
My John — a crew of merchant seamen were
often referred to as «the Johns».
Hoosier — They are complaining about the
pay of cotton hoosiers (think hosiery) in
Mobile, Alabama
Usually regarded as a capstan or pumping shanty. Lowlands could be one of
several places around the world. One source suggests the song in the sighing of
the wind and the throbbing of the restless ocean translated into melody.