D G
In a neat little town they call Belfast,
C D
apprentice to trade I was bound
G
Many an hours’ sweet happiness,
D G
have I spent in that neat little town
А sad misfortune came over me,
C D
which caused me to stray from the land
G
Far away from me friends and relations,
D G
betrayed by the black velvet band
Chorus:
G
Her eyes they shone like diamonds
C D
I thought her the queen of the land
G D G
And her hair it hung over her shoulder
C D G
tied up with a black velvet band
D G
I took a stroll down Broadway,
C D
meaning not long for to stay
G
When who should I meet but this pretty fair
D G
maid comes a traipsin’ along the highway
She was both fair and handsome,
C D
her neck it was just like a swan
G
And her hair it hung over her shoulder,
D G
tied up with a black velvet band
Chorus:
D G
I took a stroll with this pretty fair maid,
C D
and a gentleman passing us by
G
Well I knew she meant the doing of him,
D G
by the look in her roguish black eye
А gold watch she took from his pocket
C D
and placed it right in to my hand
G
And the very first thing that I said
D G
was bad ‘cess to the black velvet band
Chorus:
D G
Before the judge and the jury,
C D
next morning I had to appear
G
The judge he says to me: “Young man,
D G
your case it is proven clear
We’ll give you seven years penal servitude,
C D
to be spent far away from the land
G
Far away from your friends and relations,
D G
betrayed by the black velvet band”
Chorus:
D G C D
So come all you jolly young fellows a warning take by me
G
When you are out on the town me lads,
D G
beware of them pretty colleens
For they feed you with strong drink, “me lads”,
C D
’til you are unable to stand
G
And the very first thing that you’ll know
D G
is you’ve landed in Van Diemens’ Land
Chorus
In a neat little town they call Belfast,
C D
apprentice to trade I was bound
G
Many an hours’ sweet happiness,
D G
have I spent in that neat little town
А sad misfortune came over me,
C D
which caused me to stray from the land
G
Far away from me friends and relations,
D G
betrayed by the black velvet band
Chorus:
G
Her eyes they shone like diamonds
C D
I thought her the queen of the land
G D G
And her hair it hung over her shoulder
C D G
tied up with a black velvet band
D G
I took a stroll down Broadway,
C D
meaning not long for to stay
G
When who should I meet but this pretty fair
D G
maid comes a traipsin’ along the highway
She was both fair and handsome,
C D
her neck it was just like a swan
G
And her hair it hung over her shoulder,
D G
tied up with a black velvet band
Chorus:
D G
I took a stroll with this pretty fair maid,
C D
and a gentleman passing us by
G
Well I knew she meant the doing of him,
D G
by the look in her roguish black eye
А gold watch she took from his pocket
C D
and placed it right in to my hand
G
And the very first thing that I said
D G
was bad ‘cess to the black velvet band
Chorus:
D G
Before the judge and the jury,
C D
next morning I had to appear
G
The judge he says to me: “Young man,
D G
your case it is proven clear
We’ll give you seven years penal servitude,
C D
to be spent far away from the land
G
Far away from your friends and relations,
D G
betrayed by the black velvet band”
Chorus:
D G C D
So come all you jolly young fellows a warning take by me
G
When you are out on the town me lads,
D G
beware of them pretty colleens
For they feed you with strong drink, “me lads”,
C D
’til you are unable to stand
G
And the very first thing that you’ll know
D G
is you’ve landed in Van Diemens’ Land
Chorus