Subscribe to our Newsletter

The Dark-Eyed Sailor

Back to browse page

Alternative title: Phoebe and her Dark-Eyed Sailor

Place Collected: Gloucester
Date collected: 1957
Collector: Ballinger, Brian
Roud Number: 265

With the title “Fair Phoebe and her Dark-Eyed Sailor”, this song can be traced back to the 18th century and is one of the best known Broken Token ballads.  Versions of it are very consistent in tune and words and the song has been collected even in recent times.   It has been found on both sides of the Atlantic.

Notes by Gwilym Davies 7 August 2015