The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #68735   Message #1166193
Posted By: Noreen
20-Apr-04 - 11:37 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: duncan williamson's golden vanity
Subject: Lyr Add: GOLDEN VANITY (from Duncan Williamson)
The following is what I hear from the recording Roberto sent me:

O I have a ship that sails on the sea
And she goes by the name of the Golden Vanity
But I'll doubt she'll by sunk by a Spanish Galee
As I sail round the lowlands low, low
As I sail round the lowlands low

Then up and spoke a cabin boy
A well-spoke lad was he
Saying – Captain, O captain, O what would you gi'e
If the Spanish Gallee would trouble you no more
As you sail round the lowlands low, low
As you sail round the lowlands low?

O guid gold I would give and silver in store
And my pretty little daughter who waits on the shore
If the Spanish Gallee would trouble me no more
As I sail round the lowlands low, low
As I sail round the lowlands low

O straight away the cabin boy bared his breast and dived in
He held in his hand an auger sharp and thin
He held in his hand an auger sharp and thin
He went swimming in the lowlands low, low
He went swimming in the lowlands low

Then he bored and he bored, he bored once or twice
For some was playing cards and some was playing dice
And the water it rushed in and dazzled till their eyes
And he sank 'em in the lowlands low, low
And he sank them in the lowlands low

Then he swam and he swam, crying – Captain, take me in
I am drowning in the lowlands low

O throw me a rope, a rope - cried he
A rope, O, a rope, you will never get from me
For you sunk the Dargirl, the Turk of Admiry
Now she's lying in the lowlands low, low
Now she's lying in the lowlands low

So he swam around the starboard side, saying – Messmates, take me in
They throwed him a rope and his messmates took him in
And they wrapped him up in an old cow skin
And they sank him in the lowlands low, low
They sank him in the lowlands low


In The Turkish Reverie , Malcolm Douglas lists many names of the doomed ship, and links to many versions of this song.