Lowlands, lowlands away my John
My old mother wrote to me
My dollar and a half a day
She told a me to come home from sea

Lowlands, lowlands away my John
Five dollars a day is white man's pay
My dollar and a half a day
Dollar and a half is black man's pay

Lowlands, lowlands away my John
I had a dream the other night
My dollar and a half a day
I dreamed I was coming home from sea

Lowlands, lowlands away my John
My old mother wrote to me
My dollar and a half a day
She told a me to come home from sea