The Dandy Highwaymen’s Land Shanties lyrics archive: Sovay the Female Highwaymen
traditional, arranged by The Dandy Highwaymen
Sovay Sovay all on a day
She dressed herself in man’s array
With a brace of pistols all by her side
To meet her true love, to meet her true love, away she did ride
As she was galloping on the plain
She met her sweetheart and bid him stand:
“Stand and deliver, young man,” she said
“If an’ you do not, if an’ you do not, I’ll shoot you dead.”
He delivered up his golden store
And still she craved for one thing more:
“That diamond ring that I see you wear,
Oh hand it over, oh hand it over, and your life I’ll spare.”
“From me diamond ring I wouldn’t part,
For ‘tis a token from me sweetheart.
Shoot and be damned, you rogue!” said he,
“And you’ll be hanged, and you’ll be hanged for murdering me.”
Next morning in the garden green
Young Sovay and her love were seen;
He spied his watch hanging by her clothes
Which made him blush, lads, which made him blush just like any rose.
“Why do you blush, you foolish thing?
I thought to have that diamond ring.
‘Twas I who robbed you all on the plain
And here’s your gold love, here’s your gold love, and your watch and chain.”
“I only did it for to know
Whether you were true to me or no
If you had given me that ring,” she said,
“I’d have pulled the trigger, I’d have pulled the trigger and shot you dead!”