Lyr Req: Peter Bellamy's Barbaree

Subject: Lyr Add: BARBAREE (Peter Bellamy)
From: Roberto
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 09:18 AM

Please, help me writing down a correct text of this song, Barbaree (High Barbary), as sung by Peter Bellamy (in Both Sides Then). Here is what I cen get (I'm not sure of many words). Thnak you. Roberto

Now there was two jolly ships from out of England came
Blow high-blow low-and so sail we
One she was the Queen of Russia and the other Prince of Wales
Looking down along the coast of Barbary

Step aloft, step aloft, then our jolly boson cried
Blow high-blow low-and so sail we
Look ahead and look astern, look aweather, look alee
And look down along the coast of Barbary

Well, there is no ship astern and there is no ship alee
Blow high-blow low-and so sail we
But there's a lofty ship to wind'ard, she's a-sailing fast and free
She's a-sailing down along the coast of Barbary

Oh hail 'er! Oh,hail 'er! - Then our jolly captain cried
Blow high-blow low-and so sail we
Oh, youse a man-o'-war or a privateer - Says he
A-cruising down along the coast of Barbary?

Im not no man-of-war, nor a privateer - Says he
Blow high-blow low-and so sail we
But I'm a salt-sea pirate, I'm a-seeking for me fee
I'm a-seeking down along the coast of Barbary!

So broadside to broadside, a long hour we lay
Blow high-blow low-and so sail we
Till at lenght the Queen of Russia blew the pirate's mast away
Cruising down along the coast of Barbary

Then for quarter-for quarter! - The jolly pirate cried
Blow high-blow low-and so sail we
Oh, the quarter I will give you – I will sink you in the tide
I will sink you down along the coast of Barbary

So we tied them up by twos and we tied them up by threes
Blow high-blow low-and so sail we
Yes, we tied them up by dozens and we topped them in the sea
Yes, we drowned them down along the coast of Barbary

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peter Bellamy's Barbaree
From: Sorcha
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 09:45 AM

If you put Barbaree in the handy Lyrics and Knowledge search box at the top of the page you will find 2 versions in the DT.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peter Bellamy's Barbaree
From: Roberto
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 10:05 AM

The version in the DT named "Barbaree" is quite similar, but not exactly what Bellamy sings. I see that the last line should be: Yes, we tied them up by dozens and we chucked (not topped, as I had writen down) them in the sea. Peter Bellamy does not sing: Hail, hail, that lofty tall ship. I can't understand what he says befora "hail". Etc. So, what I am looking for is somebody that will patiently listen to the actual recording, to find out the actual words that Bellamy sings. I like very much the way he sings, but his pronunciation is not always clear to me. Roberto

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peter Bellamy's Barbaree
From: Charley Noble
Date: 24 Jul 03 - 01:44 PM

Roberto-

You've really done a fine job transcribing what Bellamy sang. I'm afraid I can't offer any further clarification.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peter Bellamy's Barbaree
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 26 Jul 03 - 11:21 PM

Described by Peter in his sleeve notes as "A hybrid of Bob Roberts' East Anglian version and a Carolina variant collected by the late Frank Warner".