Collection of eighty street ballads: The Keel Row

Collection of eighty street ballads on forty sheets, mostly with a woodcut printed at London, the majority by J. Catnach (18201830). London: n.p., n.d. University of Minnesota Libraries. WILSON Rare Books Quarto 820.1 C683.

Pasted to album leaf 17: broadside containing "The Golden Glove" (left column) and "The Keel Row" and "The Minute-Gun at Sea" (right column).

<Image: wood engraving of ornamental harp and foliage.>

The Keel Row

J. Catnach, Printer, 2, Monmouth-Court, 7 Dials
sold by J. Pierce, Southborough.

AS I came through the Cannon-gate,
   I heard a lassie sing,
Oh, weel may the keel row,
   The ship that my love's in,
He wears a blue bonnet,
   <W>ith a dimple in his chin.

My love he wears a bonnet,
<W>ith two snow white roses on it,
And a dimple in his chin.óweel may, &c.

Charlie thou art my darling,
And so is the bonny shiel,óweel may, &c.

My love has breath of roses,
<W>ith arms of lily posies,
To roll a lassie in,óweel may, &c.

Transcription and HTML coding by Brett Single. Pointed brackets mark emendations.

Return to contents, Collection of eighty street ballads.
Return to home page.

Michael Hancher Department of English, University of Minnesota URL: <http://umn.edu/home/mh/keel.html> Comments to: mh@umn.edu Created 2 May 1997 Revised 5 May 1997