Young James he has gone to the sea,
And he promised he'd come back for me,
The people say, he ran away with another,
But true to his word he will be

Oh and any day now when that ship it comes in,
We will walk hand in hand from the shore,
The people will see when that ship it comes in,
For then he will leave me no more

If false unto me then I'll rue,
If my parents cruel tale it was true,
And the one I love best, above all the rest has another,
Well then I know not what I'd do

Oh and any day now when that ship it comes in,
We will walk hand in hand from the shore,
The people will see when that ship it comes in,
For then he will leave me no more

My wedding gown hangs on my bed,
Alongside the veil for my head,
But if I learn he'll not return I'll be broken,
And over my poor heart they'll tread

Oh and any day now when that ship it comes in,
We will walk hand in hand from the shore,
The people will see when that ship it comes in,
For then he will leave me no more