| In the neat little town they call
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| Belfast and apprentice to trade I was bound.
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| Many’s the hour sweet happiness I spent in that neat little town.
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| But a sad misfortune came over me,
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| which caused me to stray from the land.
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| Far away from my friends and
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| relations betrayed by the black velvet band.
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| Her eyes they shone like the
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| diamonds, you think she is queen of the land.
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| And her hair hung over her
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| shoulders, tied up with the black velvet band.
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| As I was strolling one evening, not meaning to go very far.
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| I met with this ficklesome damsel,
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| she was selling her trade at the bar.
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| A gold watch she stole from a pocket and placed it right into my hand.
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| Then the law came and put me in
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| prison, bad luck to the black velvet band.
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| Her eyes they shone like the
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| diamonds, you think she is queen of the land.
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| And her hair hung over her
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| shoulders, tied up with the black velvet band.
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| Before the judge and the jury, next morning I had to appear.
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| The judge he said to me, «Young man, the case against you is clear.
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| Seven long years is your sentence,
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| to be spent far away from your land.
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| Far away from your friends and
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| relations to follow the black velvet band.»
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| Her eyes they shone like the
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| diamonds, you think she is queen of the land.
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| And her hair hung over her
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| shoulders, tied up with the black velvet band.
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| So come all you jolly young fellows, I’ll have you take warning by me.
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| Whenever you’re out on the liquor,
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| young lads, beware of the pretty colleens.
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| They’ll feed you with whiskey and
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| porter, till you are unable to stand.
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| Then the very next thing that you know,
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| me boys, you’ll wind up in Van Diemen’s Land.
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| Her eyes they shone like the
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| diamonds, you think she is queen of the land.
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| And her hair hung over her
 | 
| shoulders, tied up with the black velvet band.
 | 
| Her eyes they shone like the
 | 
| diamonds, you think she is queen of the land.
 | 
| And her hair hung over her
 | 
| shoulders, tied up with the black velvet band. |