CAPTAIN CARR
(Son of Child #178, Captain Car, or, Edom o' Gordon)
(Bob Coltman)

Hard is the fighting,
Now that winter's come,
Got to find some place to go
To rest our weary bones.

I know where there's a castle
Built of lime and stone,
The lord is fighting far away,
His lady's livin' at home.

Margaret's walkin' on the castle wall,
She seen the troops ridin' down,
She thought it was her very own lord
Come a-ridin' home.

She come dancin' down the stairs,
She slid back the bar,
In come Adam Gordon,
And in come Captain Carr.

Here's three hundred tired men
Wantin' to take their rest,
And I the first among them all
To lay my head on your breast.

Go get me my pistol out,
Load it ready to fire,
I will not give my castle up
To wicked Captain Carr.

Oh, damn your soul, John Singleton,
That ever I paid your hire,
For now you've broke my castle wall,
And set my house on fire,

The Captain caught her oldest son,
Led him before the rest,
Tore the tongue out of his head,
The heart out of his breast.

Then up spoke her youngest son
Sittin' upon her knee,
Mother, better give up the house,
The smoke is smotherin' me.

She climbed to the highest floor,
The top of the highest stair,
The fire licked her gold stockin's,
The sparks flew in her hair.

Her children round her petticoats,
The flames around her head,
She took and kissed them one by one,
Said, Babies, we are all dead.

Home came Lord Hamilton,
Weary for his bed,
He found his house all burnt to the ground,
His wife and babies dead.

Round and round the walls he went,
Their ashes for to view,
Oh curse you, curse you, Captain Carr,
That ever you came in view.

Oh curse you, curse you, Captain Carr,
That your mother ever bore you,
And now this fire is hot enough,
I'll bid this world adieu.

He went as close, and close to the edge
Where the flames leapt thrice times three,
He let himself drop into the flames
No future ever to see.

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Click to play (joeweb)