Two versions, four recordings. The first version, as recorded by Louis Killen and June Tabor; the second, as recorded by Bob Copper and Paul Clayton. Hope there are not mistakes in the transcriptions. Roberto

ADMIRAL BENBOW (I)


a) Brave Admiral Benbow
Louis Killen, Sailors, Ships & Chanteys, Vol.2, A Seaman's Garland, Knock Out KO04, 1997

Oh, we sailed to Virginia and thence to Fayall
Where we watered our ship in and then weighed all
Then in view on the seas, boys, seven sails we did espy
Oh, we mannéd our capstan and weighed speedily

The first we come up with was a brigantine sloop
And we asked if the others were as big as they looked
Then turning to windward as near as we could lie
We found there was ten men of war cruising there by

Oh, we drew up our squadron in a very nice line
And boldly we fought them for full four hours time
Then the day being spent, boys, and the night coming on
We left them alone till the very next morn

The very next morning the engagement proved hot
And brave Admiral Benbow received a chain shot
And when he was wounded to his men he did say:
Take me up in your arms, boys, and carry me away

Oh, the guns they did rattle and the bullets did fly
But Admiral Benbow for help would not cry:
Take me down to the cockpit, there is ease for my smarts
If my merry men see me, it would sure break their hearts

And there Captain Kirby proved a coward at last
And with Wade played at bopeep behind the main-mast
And there they did stand, boys, and shiver and shake
For fear that those French dogs their lives they should take

The very next morning at the break of the day
They hoisted their tops'ls and so bore away
We bore up for Port Royal, where the people flocked much
To see Admiral Benbow carried to Kingston Church

Come all you brave fellows, wherever you be
And drink to the health of our King and our Queen
And another good health to the girls that we know
And a third in remembrance of brave Admiral Benbow

Oh, yes, drink up a health, boys, to the girls we do know
And a third for remembrance of brave Admiral Benbow



b) Admiral Benbow
June Tabor, A Cut Above, with Martin Simpson, Topic TSCD 410, 1989

We sailed from Virginia and thence to Fayall
Where we watered our ship and then we weighed all
Full in view on the seas, boys, seven sails we did espy,
We mannéd our capstans and weighed speedily.

Now the first we come up on was a brigantine sloop
And we asked if the others was as big as they looked
Ah, but turning to windward, as near as we could lie
We saw there were ten men of war cruising by.

We drew up our squadron in very nice line
And boldly we fought them for full four hours time
But the day being spent, boys, and the night a-coming on
We left them alone till the early next morn.

Now the very next morning the engagement proved hot
And brave Admiral Benbow received a chain shot
And as he was wounded to his merry men he did say,
"Take me up in your arms, boys, and carry me away!"

Oh, the guns they did rattle and the bullets did fly,
But brave Admiral Benbow for rout would not cry;
"Take me down to the cabin where there's ease for my smarts,
If my merry men see me, it would sure break their hearts."

Now, the very next morning by break of the day
They hoisted their topsails and so bore away;
We bore to Port Royal, where the people flocked much
To see Admiral Benbow carried to Kingston Church.

Come all you brave fellows, wherever you've been,
Let us drink to the health of our King and our Queen,
And another good health to the girls that we know,
And a third in remembrance of great Admiral Benbow.



ADMIRAL BENBOW (II)


a) Admiral Benbow
Bob Copper, Copperfulofsongs, Folktrax FTX-238, recorded 1963-1983, edited by Peter Kennedy and first published on Folktrax cassettes 1983

Come all you seamen bold, landed here, landed here
It is of an Admiral brave called Benbow by his name
How he ploughed the raging main
You shall hear, you shall hear

Last Tuesday morning last, Benbow sailed, Benbow sailed
What a sweet and pleasant gale when Benbow he set sail
And the enemy they turned tail
In a fright, in a fright

Great Reuben and Benbow fought the French, fought the French
See the boats go up and down and the bullets whizzing round
And the enemy they knocked down
There they lay, there they lay

Oh, Benbow lost his legs, by chain-shot, by chain-shot
Down on his stumps did fall and so loud for mercy called.
Oh, fight on my British tars
It is my lot, it is my lot.

When the doctor dressed his wounds Benbow cried, Benbow cried
Oh, pray pick me up in haste to the quarter deck my place
That the enemy I might face
Until I die, until I die.

Last Tuesday morning last, Benbow died, Benbow died
What a shocking sight to see when they carried him away
Oh, they carried him to Se'm's'on church
There he lays, there he lays.



b) Admiral Benbow
Paul Clayton, & Sailing Songs, Tradition TCD 1064 (original LP release: Whaling & Sailing Songs from the days of Moby Dick, Tradition Records TLP 1005, 1956)

'T was of an Admiral
Called Benbow by his name
He fought on the raging main
You must know
Oh, the ship rocks up and down
And the shots are flying round
The enemy tumbling down
There they lay, there they lay

The ship rocks up and down
And the shots are flying round
The enemy tumbling down
There they lay, there they lay

'T was Reuben and Benbow
Fought the French, fought the French
'T was Reuben and Benbow
Fought the French, fought the French
Down on his old stump he fell
And so loudly he did call
Fight you on, my English lads
'Tis my lot, 'tis my lot

Down on his old stump he fell
And so loudly he did call
Fight you on, my English lads
'Tis my lot, 'tis my lot

When the doctor dressed his wounds
Benbow cried, Benbow cried
When the doctor dressed his wounds
Benbow cried,
Let a bed be fetched in haste
On the quarterdeck be placed
That the enemy I might face
'Til I die, 'til I die

Let a bed be fetched in haste
On the quarterdeck be placed,
That the enemy I might face
'Til I die, 'til I die

On Tuesday morning last
Benbow died, Benbow died
On Tuesday morning last
Benbow died
What a shocking sight to see
When Benbow was carried away
He was carried to Kingston church
There he lay, there he lay

What a shocking sight to see
When Benbow was carried away
He was carried to Kingston church
There he lay, there he lay

---

Note from Joe Offer: If at all possible, please put only one song in a message. It makes indexing a lot easier. Thanks.