I fully understood
That you'd leave when your ship come by
And l fully understood
You had a purpose more high
Than to give a little schoolboy
To give a little schoolboy his first love

But oh did I cry
And did I cry
For I thought that those days
Would just fade and die
But every cell in my body has it all writ down
Every smile and every frown
And oh those good-time girls
Oh those good-time girls
That book it sometimes makes me glad
That book it sometimes makes me sad
But oh - it don't read bad

I cursed you to your face
When you turned to go
But I see now that you did just right
And I bow to you low
For you gave a little schoolboy
You gave a little schoolboy his first love...
But oh did I cry
And did I cry
For I thought that those days
Would just fade and die
But every cell in my body has it all writ down
Every smile and every frown
And oh those good-time girls
Oh those good-time girls
That book it sometimes makes me glad
That book it sometimes makes me sad
But oh - it don't read bad