Please, someone to correct this transcription. I have the text sung by Ewan MacColl on The English and Scottish Popular Ballads – vol.2, Folkways FG 3510, 1964. Ian Manuel sings a very similar one, and I have tried to get it, but I'm not sure of all the words. Thank you. Roberto


The Sweet Kumadie
Ian Manuel, The Dales of Caledonia, Topic 12TS301, 1976

There once was a ship sailed frae the north country
And the name of the ship was the Sweet Kumadie
She was built o' the pine and the bay oak tree
And she sailed on the Lowlands,Lowlands
And she sailed on the Lowlands low

Well, we hadna been sailing a league but barely three
When the look-out man he sighted a French gaudie
And he said - We'll all be sent tae the bottom o' the sea
As we sail on the Lowlands,Lowlands
As we sail on the Lowlands low

Well, it's oot and spak our cabin-boy, oot spak he
Cryin' - Captain, o captain,what will ye gie to me
If I swim alang the side o' your French gaudie
And I sink her in the Lowlands,Lowlands
And I sink her in the Lowlands low?

Oh, it's I'll gi'e ye gowd and I will gi'e ye fee
And my eldest dochter your bride for to be
Gin ye'll swim alang the side o' yon French Gaudie
And you sink her in the lowlands, lowlands
And you sink her in the lowlands low

The boy bent his back and awa' swam he
He swan till he cam' to the French Gaudie
And wi' his instruments aboot him, he started to mak' free
To sink her in the lowlands, lowlands
For to sink her in the lowlands low

Oh, some were at the cairds and some were at the dice
Four and twenty holes he has pierced in her side
Until the salt water, aye, it flashed before their eyes
And she sank in lowlands, lowlands
And she sank in the lowlands low

O captain, O captain, be as guid as your word
You'll throw me a rope and ye'll pu' me on board
For your gaudie, oh she lies at the bottom of the road
She lies in the lowlands, lowlands
Oh, she lies in the lowlands low

I'm not throwin' ye a rope or pu' ye on board
Ye can swim till ye sink, just as true as my word
Ye can swim till ye sink tae the bottom of the road
Ye can sink in the lowlands, lowlands
Ye can sink in the lowlands low!

Ye'll throw me a rope and ye'll pu' me frae the sea
Or I'll swim alang the side o' your Sweet Kumadie
And I'll send her to the bottom like your French Gaudie
And you'll sink on the lowlands, lowlands
And you'll sink on the lowlands low!

Oh, he's thrown him a rope and they've pu'd him frae the sea
He's gi'en to him the gowd and he's gi'en to him the fee
And his eldest dochter his bride for to be
As they sailed on the lowlands, lowlands;
As they sailed on the lowlands low