When I was a young boy
I played on the Devon
I walked its shores boys
That river was heaven
That river was mine boys
That river was free
But I left it one day
For a ship of the sea
A promise of money
Bonus and pay
So we all climbed aboard
Sailed the next day
Down the coast to Plymouth
Then out into sea
Stood high on the deck
My four mates and me
Crossed over the Biscay
And down into Spain
Unloaded in Bilbao
Molasses and grain
We stacked a new cargo
My four mates and me
Lashed and tied down
Headed out to sea
We sailed round the coastline
Down to Benin
With a booty on board boys
Fit for a queen
Fit for a queen boys
From the land of Senegal
It was payment in kind
For our next port of call
The Ivory Coast was hot
As we docked in the port
We saw people in chains
Being loaded on board
I looked at their eyes
So full of despair
Then empathy hit me
Like a knife through the air
I asked the first mate
What’s going on here
He said draw your pay
And leave it you hear
We sailed for America
I felt every wave
I could not stop thinking
Of those pitiful slaves
The journey was rough
Some died every day
They threw them overboard boys
No words can say
No words can say boys
What we saw and heard
Some of this talk
Can never be shared
We landed in Freeport
It was an unpleasant day
I said to the skipper
Keep my bonus and pay
We’re going back to England
My mates and I say
We’ll work our passage back
Don’t want any pay
It’s agreed when we get back
We will try to stop this
Selling people like goods
That’s not what life is
I miss those carefree days
On the Devon so free
Me and my mates want
No more ships of the sea
When I was a young boy
I played on the Devon
I walked its shores boys
That river was heaven
That river was mine boys
That river was free
But I left it one day
For a ship of the sea
