[Verse 1]
"Sally, where are you going
That you do look so gay?
I know that I've not asked you
To take a walk today"
"You have not asked me, well indeed
It's a tidy cheek of you
For you think that there are no more young chaps
I've got a dozen or two

[Chorus]
Billy, don't you weep for me
I'm going to St. James's Park
My Cousin Joe to see"

[Verse 2]
"Cousin Joe, now who is he?
He's a soldier, I can tell
For I know that you're fond of lobsters
Both raw and boiled as well"
"My Cousin Joe's a guardsman
And he is a handsome chap
And he wears such fine mustachios
And a stunning furry cap"

[Chorus]
"Oh Billy, don't you weep for me
I'm very fond of cousin Joe
And he's very fond of me"
[Verse 3]
"We're going to the play tonight
Jack Sheppard for to see
And when that it is all over
We'll all have a jolly good spree
I've got money for a pint of stout
And when we're short of tin
I'll even go and pawn my smock
To buy us a bottle of gin"

[Chorus]
"Billy, don't you weep for me
I'm going after Cousin Joe
And I'll sit all on his knee”

[Verse 4]
"So what is the use of him?
He never can keep you
You'll have to work from morn till night
That's what you'll have to do
You'll have to make shirts at a penny each
Or else stand at the tub
And mark my words, there's many a day
You'll go very short of grub"

[Chorus]
"And then Sally, you'll cry for me
Book it back to Cousin Joe
And sit all on his knee!"
[Verse 5]
In about a twelve month after
Young Sally come back to me
And she said that she was sorry
That she'd ever been on that spree
Wanted me to take her back
Says I, "It is no go
For do you think that I'm such a fool?
Go back to Cousin Joe"

[Chorus]
"Sally, you can't come over me
For I see you've got a baby
To dance all on your knee"

[Verse 6]
"Oh Billy, how can you serve me so?
You know, you really drive me mad
I'll have you up before the beak
And I'll swear you are its dad
And when you get before the bench
They will not let you speak
And you'll have to keep the young one
On thirty pence a week"

[Chorus]
"So, Billy, how can you serve me so?
I'm sure the child belongs to you
Not to Cousin Joe"
[Verse 7]
Well, in a week she gets the summons
But she found it was no go
For the magistrate decided that
The child belonged to Joe
She went up to Billy's backyard
Quickly the door she shut
And when at last they found her
She'd drowned in the water butt

[Chorus]
So young women, take a warning from me
Never love a soldier
Or sit all on his knee