(Sung to the tune of "Black Velvet Band")
CHORUS: Her eyes
they shone like the diamond,
They call her the Queen of the land.
And her hair hung over her shoulders,
Tied up with a black
velvet band.
In a neat little town they call Belfast,
Apprentice to trade I was found,
Many an hour sweet happiness,
Have I spent in this neat little town,
Till bad misfortune befell
me,
Which caused me to stray from the land,
Far away from my
friends and relations,
Betrayed by the black velvet band.
Well I was out strolling one evening,
Not meaning to go very far
When I met with a pretty young damsel
She was selling her trade in a
bar
She was both fair and handsome,
And her neck it was just like
a swan,
And her hair it hung it over her shoulder,
Tied up with
a black velvet band.
I took a stroll with this pretty fair maid,
And the gentleman passing us by,
Well I knew she meant the doing
of him,
By the look in her roguish black-eye,
The gold watch she
took from his pocket,
And placed it right into my hand,
On the
very first day that I met her,
Bad luck from the black velvet band.
Next morning before judge and jury
For our trial I had to appear
The judge, he said, "Young fellow
The case against you is quite clear
And seven years is your sentence
You're going to Van Dieman's Land
Far away from your friends and relations
Betrayed by the black velvet
band.
So come all you jolly young fellows
I'd have you take
warning by me
And whenever you're out on the liquor
Beware of the
pretty colleen
They'll fill your with whiskey and porter
Until
you're not able to stand
And the very next thing that you know
You're landed in Van Dieman's Land.