"Leaving of Liverpool", (Roud 9435), also known as "Fare Thee Well, My Own True Love", is a folk ballad, a popular and wistful song. The song's narrator laments his long sailing trip to America and the thought of leaving his birthplace and loved ones (especially his "own true love"). Liverpool was the natural point of embarkation because it had the necessary shipping lines and a choice of destinations and infrastructure, including special emigration trains directly to The Prince's Landing Stage (which is mentioned in the song's first line).
It was collected as a sailor's song, but noted only twice: from the Americans Richard Maitland and Captain Patrick Tayluer. Maitland learned it from a Liverpool man on board the General Knox around 1885.[1] It was collected from him by Bill Doerflinger, an American folk-song collector particularly associated with sea-songs, in New York. [2]
It has been recorded by The Spinners, Ewan MacColl, The Pogues, Tommy Fleming,[3] and many others.
The tune was adapted by Bob Dylan in January 1963, retitled simply as "Farewell", a variation which was finally released on The Bootleg Series Vol. 9 – The Witmark Demos: 1962–1964 in October 2010. Anita Carter recorded her version of the Dylan arrangement for her 1964 album Anita of the Carter Family.[4] Tom Paxton used the tune as a basis for "The Last Thing on My Mind," recorded by many artists.
Many Irish/Celtic bands have released versions of "Leaving of Liverpool", including The Dubliners, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, Gaelic Storm and The Pogues. The Seekers recorded it for their 1965 album, A World of Our Own. More recently it was covered by Young Dubliners on the 2007 album With All Due Respect - The Irish Sessions
"Leaving of Liverpool" also inspired cowboy music. Ed Stabler wrote a cowboy's version called "The Leavin' of Texas".