Bless me father I have sinned
Bless me if you may
By the power of Jesus Christ
You come to me this day

I am just a middle farmer's boy
Jim Wilson is my name
And I've been out hard where the devil runs
And I'll never go again

Well yes I know my duty sir
And I know the God I serve
I tried to stay out in the open line
I tried to keep my nerve

Ahh, but all I could see were lily white arms
And a gold and silken dress
And all I could hear was a good ol' song
A calling from the west

Well I wish I were back home in Bristol again
Raising a cider with West Countrymen
Rolling in the arms of the fair Katie Wren
Back home in Bristol again
Back home in Bristol again
A seventeen days and seventeen nights
We held up underground
Through misty panes and thick green light
I saw death raining down

And when it all was finished
I just turned away in fear
Bless me father and hold my hand
Until the dawn is here

Well I wish I were back home in Bristol again
A raising a cider with West Countrymen
Rolling in the arms of the fair Katie Wren
Back home in Bristol again
Back home in Bristol again

Well ye lads
Give us one of the ol' song
Here we go

Drink up thy zider, drink up thy zider
For tonight we'll merry be (we'll merry be!)
We'll knock the milkchurns over, and roll 'em in the clover
The corn's half cut, and so be we!

I hear the party coming down
To wrest me from my cell
Oh father don't you preach to me
Or speak to me of hell
Just deliver me a little song
And a final taste of rum
And tell the buggers who shoot me down
Just where ol' Jimmy's from

Well I wish I were back home in Bristol again
A raising a cider with West Countrymen
Rolling in the arms of the fair Katie Wren
Back home in Bristol again
Back home in Bristol again