“Well met, well met, said an old true love.
“Well met, well met, said he.
“I have just returned from the salt, salt sea.
“And it’s all for the love of thee.”
“I can’t come in and I can’t sit down,
“For I’ve only a moment’s time.
“They say you’re married to a house carpenter,
“And your heart will never be mine.
“I could have married a King’s daughter, fair,
“And she would have married me,
“But I have forsaken her crowns of gold,
“And it’s all for the love of thee.”
“Now you forsake your house carpenter,
“And go along with me.
“I’ll take you where the grass grows green.
“On the banks of the deep blue sea.”
Then she picked up a darlin’ little babe,
And kisses, she gave it three.
Saying “Stay right here, my darlin’ little babe,
“And keep your pappa company.”
Jolene, jolene, jolene, jolene
I’m begging of you please don’t take my man
Jolene, jolene, jolene, jolene
Please don’t take him just because you can
Your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like summer rain
And I cannot compete with you, jolene
And I can easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don’t know what he means to me, jolene
Jolene, jolene, jolene, jolene
I’m begging of you please don’t take my man
Jolene, jolene, jolene, jolene
Please don’t take him just because you can
You could have your choice of men
But I could never love again
He’s the only one for me, jolene
I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
And whatever you decide to do, jolene
Jolene, jolene, jolene, jolene
I’m begging of you please don’t take my man
Jolene, jolene, jolene, jolene
Please don’t take him even though you can
They had not been on the ship two weeks,
I’m sure it was not three,
Till his true love began to weep and to mourn,
And she wept most bitterly.
Sayin’: “Are you weepin’ for my silver and my gold.”
Sayin’: “Are you weepin’ for my store?
“Or are you weepin’ for your house carpenter,
“Whose face you’ll never see no more?”
“A curse, a curse to the sailor,” she cried.
“A curse, a curse,” she swore.
“You robbed me of my darlin’ little babe,
“That I shall never see no more.”
They were not three days out at sea
And I’m sure they were not four
When this fair maid disappeared from the deck
And she sank to rise no more, my love
Sank to rise no more
SOURCE: http://www.runamusic.com/wordpress/the-house-carpenter-jolene/