Intro: Verse In a neat little town they call Belfast Apprenticed to trade I was bound For many an hour's sweet happiness Have I spent in that neat little town Verse But a sad misfortune came over me Which caused me to stray from the land Far away from my 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 Verse I took a stroll down Broadway Oh, meaning not long for to stay When who should I meet but this pretty fair maid Come a'traipsing along the highway Verse She was both fair and handsome Her neck it was just like a swan's 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 Instrumental Verse I took a stroll with this pretty fair maid And a gentleman passing us by Oh, I knew that she meant the undoing of him By the look in her roguish black eye Verse A gold watch she took from his pocket And slipped it right into my hand And the very first thing that I said was "A curse 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 Verse Seven long years penal servitude To be spent down in Van Diemen's Land Far away from my 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 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