The Parting Glass

Traditional - last verse rewritten by Christine Kydd

Kind friends and companions come join me in rhyme
And lift up your voices in chorus with mine
Lift up your voices all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again

Here’s a health to the company and one to my love
Let’s drink and be merry all out of one glass
Let’s drink and be merry all grief to refrain
For we may or might never all meet here again

My ship lies in harbour, she’s ready to sail
God grant her safe voyage without any gale
If ever I return again by land or by sea
I will always remember your kindness to me

Here’s a health to the friendships that we hold so dear
A health to the sweethearts we once held so near
A health to such true loves as fortune bestows
May the future make friends of all of our foes

This song was brought to Sangschule by Christine Kydd. It is included on her CD with Janet Russell, Dancin’ Chantin’, CDTRAX 077 Greentrax.

It is sometimes thought of as an Irish song, but their CD notes say: “Christine re-wrote the last verse of this old parting song, we changed a few other words, and put it to a new tune, but it’s still very much a Scottish rather than an Irish version.”