There was a ship that sailed all on the lowland sea
and the name of the ship was the Golden Vanity.
And we feared she would be taken by the Spanish enemy
as she sailed upon the lowland, lowland, lowland,
sailed upon the lowland sea.

Then up spoke our cabin boy and boldly out spoke he
and he said to the captain: "What will you give to me
if I swim along the side of the Spanish enemy
and I sink her in the lowland, lowland, lowland,
sink her in the lowland sea?"

"Oh I will give you silver and I will give you gold
and my own fair daughter your bonny bride shall be
if you'll swim along the side of the Spanish enemy
and you sink her in the lowland, lowland, lowland,
sink her in the lowland sea.

Then the boy he made him ready and overboard sprang he
and he swam to the side of the Spanish enemy.
With his brace and auger in her side he bored holes three
and he sank her in the lowland, lowland, lowland,
sank her in the lowland sea.

Then quickly he swam back to the cheering of the crew,
but the captain would not heed him, his promise he did rue
and he scorned his poor entreatings when loudly he did sue
and left him in the lowland, lowland, lowland,
left him in the lowland sea.

Then the boy he turned 'round and he swam to the port side
and up to his messmates full bitterly he cried:
"O messmates, draw me up, for I'm drifting with the tide
and I'm sinking in the lowland, lowland, lowland,
sinking in the lowland sea."

Then his messmates drew him up, but on the deck he died
and they stitched him in a hammock which was so fair and white
and they lowered him overboard, and he drifted with the tide
and he sank into the lowland, lowland, lowland,
sank into the lowland sea.

There was a ship that sailed all on the lowland sea
and the name of the ship was the Golden Vanity.
And we feared she would be taken by the Spanish enemy
as she sailed upon the lowland, lowland, lowland,
sailed upon the lowland sea.(bis)