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