The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
There was a wealthy merchant, in London he did dwell
He had a Beautiful daughter, the truth to you we'll tell
Oh the truth to you we'll tell
She had sweethearts a plenty, and men of high degree
But none but Jack the sailor, her true love ever be
Oh her true love ever be
Jackie's gone a sailing, with trouble on his mind
He's left his native country and his darling girl behind
Oh his darling girl behind
She went down to a tailor shop and dressed in man's array
She climbed on board a vessel to convey herself away
Oh convey herself away
Before you get on board sir, your name we'd like to know
She smiled on her countenance, they called me Jack-A-Roe
Oh they called me Jack-A-Roe
I see your waist is slender, your fingers they are small
Your cheeks too red and rosy to face the cannonball
Oh to face the cannonball
I know my waist's to slender, my fingers they are small
but it would not make me tremble to see ten thousand fall
Oh to see ten thousand fall
The war soon being over she went and looked around
among the dead and wounded her darling boy she found
Oh her darling boy she found
She picked him up on in her arms and carried him to the town
she sent for a physician to quickly heal his wounds
Oh to quickly heal his wounds
This couple they got married so well they did agree
This couple they got married was one you and me
Oh was one of you and me
Oh was one of you and me
He had a Beautiful daughter, the truth to you we'll tell
Oh the truth to you we'll tell
She had sweethearts a plenty, and men of high degree
But none but Jack the sailor, her true love ever be
Oh her true love ever be
Jackie's gone a sailing, with trouble on his mind
He's left his native country and his darling girl behind
Oh his darling girl behind
She went down to a tailor shop and dressed in man's array
She climbed on board a vessel to convey herself away
Oh convey herself away
Before you get on board sir, your name we'd like to know
She smiled on her countenance, they called me Jack-A-Roe
Oh they called me Jack-A-Roe
I see your waist is slender, your fingers they are small
Your cheeks too red and rosy to face the cannonball
Oh to face the cannonball
I know my waist's to slender, my fingers they are small
but it would not make me tremble to see ten thousand fall
Oh to see ten thousand fall
The war soon being over she went and looked around
among the dead and wounded her darling boy she found
Oh her darling boy she found
She picked him up on in her arms and carried him to the town
she sent for a physician to quickly heal his wounds
Oh to quickly heal his wounds
This couple they got married so well they did agree
This couple they got married was one you and me
Oh was one of you and me
Oh was one of you and me
Lyrics submitted by itsmyownmind
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are you kidding me? not one post? WOW. this song most definetely is great. If you don't get the meaning of this song, you are dumb. You must be very dumb because it's basically a story being told about a merchant who leaves his daughter behind and she sneaks aboard a ship as a dude, so she can be in love with her man.
Presumptive much? And yes, you've provided the most philistine interpretation of the song.
Haha! Excellent reply @Gypsy. Nice use of philistine - spot on!<br /> @Peace - This is a great song! I think the reason why there are no post is, not because people are dumb, but because this a ballad and as you noted, it retells a story. While it may stir different emotions on an individual basis, there are no metaphors or allusions or poetic meanderings, so it leaves little room for personal interpretation. <br /> p.s. I hope you were wasted when you posted this 5 years ago because, not only did you (without justification) call everyone else on the www dumb, but you continued to embarrass the human race with your stupidity by getting the story wrong. <br /> Thanks for the insight!
@Peacethroughtheland @gdplanner 5 years later haha but I agree with you completely, and I love your non-hostile response.
@Peacethroughtheland negative much?
@Peacethroughtheland I think you have a valid point regarding comments, so I tried to rectify and represent. Jack-a-roe is a classic, ballad or not! It\'s a timeless story. What\'s not to be loved. See my interpretation. <3
So, although this is an old traditional song, the Dead expanded on this story in other songs like Peggy-o and Lady with a Fan precursor to Terrapin. Stagger-Lee can even be associated by default. In Terrapin, we learn how the sailor won her heart above the soldier in the Lion\'s Den. Peggy-o, he asks for her hand... In Jack-a-roe, she saves him from war. This is only my interpretation. William-o and Billy DeLyon could be the same man... maybe my imagination gets carried away...