The Sailor's Pleas
Jimmie Rodgers Lyrics
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My heart is filled with pain
For if these things I hear are true
I'll never see you again
They tell me, darlin', that tonight
You'll wed another man
But if you do, I'll tell you true
My boat will never land
You promised that you would wait for me
That nothin' could come between
That in my arms someday you'd be
My wife and lovely queen
I builded you that cozy home
And made a garden there
And planted too with my own hands
Sweet flowers rich and rare
My future hopes are placed in you
You've been my guidin' star
Please write and tell me that you're true
To the sailor who waits afar
Just tell me that you love me yet
Still long to be my wife
I'll return and then we'll wed
And live a happy life
Jimmie Rodgers's song, "The Sailor's Pleas," seems to tell the story of a man who is far away from his love and has heard rumors that she plans to marry someone else. The song is filled with heartache and longing, as he pleads with his sweetheart to remain true to him and to wait for his return.
The lyrics convey a sense of desperation on the part of the sailor, who has placed all of his hopes and dreams in his relationship with this woman. He has built her a home and a garden, and he sees her as his "guiding star" and the key to his future. He begs her to write to him and tell him that she still loves him and wants to be with him, promising that if she does, he will return to her and they will be married and live happily ever after.
One interesting aspect of this song is how it reflects the cultural attitudes of the era in which it was written. The idea of a man leaving his love to go to sea was a common theme in American popular music in the early 20th century, as was the notion of a woman who waits faithfully for her sailor to return. These ideas were informed by the realities of life in a seafaring nation, but they also reflected broader cultural ideals about love, commitment, and perseverance.
Another interesting aspect of this song is how it blends elements of traditional folk music with more modern musical styles. The use of the guitar and the bluesy vocal style are hallmarks of country music, which was just beginning to emerge as a distinct genre in the early 1920s. At the same time, the song's simple yet evocative lyrics and its focus on the struggles and joys of ordinary people are reminiscent of traditional ballads and folk songs.
Line by Line Meaning
Dear sweetheart, as I write to you
I am writing to you, my beloved, with a heavy heart
My heart is filled with pain
I am overcome with sadness and suffering
For if these things I hear are true
Because I have heard some terrible news
I'll never see you again
I fear that we will never be reunited
They tell me, darlin', that tonight
I have heard that this very night
You'll wed another man
You will marry someone else
But if you do, I'll tell you true
If you go through with this, I must be honest
My boat will never land
I cannot return home if you are not waiting for me
You promised that you would wait for me
You made a vow that you would remain faithful
That nothin' could come between
Nothing would ever separate us
That in my arms someday you'd be
You dreamed of being held in my embrace
My wife and lovely queen
My partner and cherished ruler of my heart
I builded you that cozy home
I constructed a warm and inviting dwelling for us
And made a garden there
I also cultivated a beautiful outdoor space
And planted too with my own hands
I personally tended to the rare and exquisite flora
Sweet flowers rich and rare
The blossoms were fragrant, delicate, and precious
My future hopes are placed in you
I have invested all of my dreams in you
You've been my guidin' star
You have illuminated my path and given me direction
Please write and tell me that you're true
Kindly inform me that you have kept your faith in me
To the sailor who waits afar
For the sailor who is far away and eagerly anticipating your response
Just tell me that you love me yet
Assure me that you still hold affection for me
Still long to be my wife
Still yearn to be bound to me in marriage
I'll return and then we'll wed
I will come back to you and we will be married
And live a happy life
Together, we will experience joy and contentment
Contributed by Bella M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Joe Dan Boyd
This was the first song I ever heard Jimmie Rodgers sing and I heard it on a battery-powered Zenith radio when I was a small boy growing up in Wood County, Texas. I had heard of America's Blue Yodeler, of course, but had never heard his actual voice until someone played it on the radio sometime during the early 1940s, long after the singer had died a year before I was born. I was hooked, and as I grew older I sought out his records, eventually getting copies of his entire Victor output after RCA started reissuing them on LPs. Thank you so much for this YouTube post. The picture above is amazingly sharp and shows Jimmie Rodgers in his professional prime. Years ago when I was in Kerville for a visit, I I sought out "The Blue Yodeler's Paradise," the large Kerrville house he built and lived in during the final years of his life. It was a pilgrimage I had to make.
INDY OSKARS
"Blue yodel #5" Jim Reeves
Ernest Tubb "In the jailhouse now"
Me and my brothers "Looking for a new mama"
(78 record though, heard on the radio some songs)
Hank Snow "Moonlight and skies"
John Ahrens
Wow I’m only 23 lived in Kerrville my whole life and never knew this. I just came across this song one day a few years ago and always come back to it.
Kurt Keily
I remember playing this on my grandma's wind-up Victrola. This and I'm Lonely and Blue
INDY OSKARS
"I'm Lonely and Blue" such a great song and "My old pal" the best blues ever.
Lefty Frizzell did a great job on those two, "My old pal" the best blues ever, none better
jonnhy qwango
Just bought the zonophone 78rpm with lonely and blue . Its crackly an noisey but my god is it beautiful. I wss told its genuinely from 1930 an its a bit of history to show my future kids an that jimmie will never die as long as i have my copy or true true music