Oh, it's of a sea captain who sailed the salt sea
And the moon it shone gentle and clear-o.
"I will die. I will die," the captain did cry,
"If I can't have that maiden who walks on the shore,
If I can't have that maid on the shore."
Then it's "I have got silver and I have got gold
And a cargo of rich costly ware-o.
One half I'll give you, my jolly old crew,
If you fetch me that maiden who walks on the shore
If you fetch me that maid on the shore."
So the sailors they got in a very long boat
And it's off for the shore they did steer-o,
Saying, "Ma'am, if you please, will you enter on board
To view a fine cargo of rich costly ware,
To view a fine cargo of ware?"
Now it's with much persuasion they got her on board,
And the moon it shone gentle and clear-o,
And she sat herself down in the stern of the boat,
And off for the ship the bold sailors did steer,
And it's off for the ship they did steer.
And when they got back alongside of the ship,
Tthe captain he spat out his chew-o,*
Saying, "First, you'll lie in my arms all this night,
Oh and then I'll give you to my jolly old crew,
And then I'll give you to my crew."
"Oh, thank you! Oh, thank you!" this young girl she cried.
"That's just what I've been awaiting for,
For I've grown so weary of my maidenhead
As I walked all alone on the rocky old shore,
As I walked all alone on the shore."
And she sat herself down in the stern of the ship.
How the moon it shone gentle and clear-o!
And she sang so sweet, so neat and complete
That she sang both the sailors and captain to sleep,
She sang all the sailors to sleep.
And she's robbed them of silver; she's robbed them of gold,
And she's plundered their fine costly ware-o,
And the captain's bright sword she's took for an oar,
And she's paddled right back to that rocky old shore,
And she's paddled right back to the shore.
"Oh, were me men drunk or were me men mad,
Or were they sunk deep in despair-o,
That they let her away with her beauty so gay?"
Then the sailors all wished that that maiden was there,
Then the sailors all wished she was there.
"No, your men were not drunk and your men were not mad,
Nor were they sunk deep in despair-o,
But I deluded your crew and likewise yourself too,
And now I'm a maiden once more on the shore,
I'm a maiden once more on the shore."
credits
from 52 Folk Songs: Red,
released July 21, 2012
Phil Edwards: vocal and concertina
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