In a neat little town they call Belfast, apprenticed to trade I was bound And many's the hour of sweet happiness, I spent in that neat little town Till sad misfortune came over me, which caused me to stray from the land Far away from me friends and relations, betrayed by the black velvet band Her eyes they shone like diamonds, I thought her the queen of the land And her hair it hung over her shoulder, tied up with a black velvet band I took a stroll with this pretty fair maid, and a gentleman passing us by I knew she meant the undoing of me, by the look in her roguish black eye A gold watch she took from his pocket, and she placed it right into me hand And the very first thing that I thought was, bad luck to the black velvet band Her eyes they shone like diamonds, I thought her the queen of the land And her hair it hung over her shoulder, tied up with a black velvet band Now before a judge and a jury, next morning I had to appear Oh the judge he said to me "Young man, your case is proven clear We'll give you seven years' penal servitude, to be spent far away from the land. Far away from your friends and relations, betrayed by the black velvet band Her eyes they shone like diamonds, I thought her the queen of the land And her hair it hung over her shoulder, tied up with a black velvet band So come all ye jolly young fellows, and a warning take by me For when you are out on the town me lads, beware of them pretty colleens For they'll feed you with strong ale "More Yeah", until you are unable to stand And the very next thing that you know me lads, is you've landed in Van Diemen's Land Her eyes they shone like diamonds, I thought her the queen of the land And her hair it hung over her shoulder, tied up with a black velvet band Her eyes they shone like diamonds, I thought her the queen of the land And her hair it hung over her shoulder, tied up with a black velvet band