songs pirates sang.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 09 Sep 12 - 11:51 AM

That last guest was me. Just to answer some questions I've been asked, I don't say a book is good and/or important because I publish it---I publish it because I believe it's good and/or important.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Sep 12 - 11:46 AM

Parenthetically, I'd like to point out that Stuart Frank's "Book of Pirate Songs" has been revised and expanded (by almost half again), and issued by CAMSCO Music /Loomis House Press as "The New Book of Pirate Songs". Available from CAMSCO (camscomusic.com). $24.95 Hardcover; $19.95 Softcover

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Sep 12 - 03:15 AM

L.E.L., the lyricist of "A Pirate's Own Song," is Letitia Elizabeth Landon. Found by following Charley Noble's link and looking around among the lyrics pages:
http://www.charlieipcar.com/lyrics/pirates.htm

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 11:22 PM

Amos-

I just sent you an e-mail with the front page of the sheet music.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Amos
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 04:36 PM

Thanks, Charley. It has always been in the back of my mind to learn that song in honor of that long ago skipper. I may as well use the tune I know! :D


A

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 04:31 PM

Amos-

I don't have a clue who ""L.E.L" was, the composer of what I can "The Pirates Own Song." I did yse the tune of "Blue Mountain Lake." The original tune is on the sheet music, if any one can find it again with a web search. I wasn't impressed with it after decoding it. But someone else might make more of it. I like to think I helped move the song from the Victorian parlor to the deck of a pirate ship.

The original words are slightly different from what were printed in THE PIRATES OWN BOOK and their is a dedication to a young lady:

Words by L.E.L., music by Horatio D. Hewitt. Boston: Geo. P. Reed, 17 Tremont Row, 1846.
From The Pirates' Own Book © 1924, p. 465
Dedicated to Miss Eliza Gaither of Washington, DC

The Pirate's Song

To the mast nail our flag, it is dark as the grave,
Or the death which it bears while it sweeps o'er the waves;
Let our deck clear for action, our guns be prepar'd;
Be the boarding-axe sharpen'd, the scimetar bar'd.
See the canisters ready, and then bring to me,
For the last of my duties, the powder-room key.
It shall never be lower'd, the black flag we bear;
If the seas be denied us, we'll sweep thro' the air.

Unshared have we left our last victory's prey;
It is mine to divide it; and yours to obey;
There are shawls that might suit a Sultana's white neck,
And pearls that are fair as the arms they will deck;
There are flasks which, unseal them, the air will disclose
Diametta's fair summer, the home of the rose.
I claim not a portion; I ask but as mine –
'Tis to drink to our victory – one cup of red wine.

Some fight, 'tis for riches – some fight, 'tis for fame:
The first, I despise the last is a name.
I fight tis for vengeance, I love to see flow,
At the stroke of my sabre, the life of my foe.
I strike for the memory of long-vanish'd years:
I only shed blood, when another shed tears.
I come, as the lightning comes, red from above,
O'er the race that I loathe, to the battle I love.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh
Date: 21 Sep 07 - 11:02 AM

Yo-ho-ho, Charley! The verses you quote have a right authentic feel to them (and, of those given earlier as an extended version of RLS's "Fifteen Men", only the last verse "rings true as a Spanish Doubloon, Jim lad!"). By the way, I've tried replying several times to "Messages", and have eventually posted a "Lyr Req" on the Discussion/Notide-Board itself.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Amos
Date: 20 Sep 07 - 11:54 PM

Charley:

I suspect Blue Mountain Lake, which was collected by Frank Warner (and perhaps others), was simply adapted for the Pirate's Own Song. I am sure it was not the tune used by the skipper I heard it from originally. I knew Frank's Blue Mountain Lake by heart by that time and would have recognized the tune.

Do you have a trace of it having that tune originally?


A

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Celtaddict
Date: 20 Sep 07 - 10:54 PM

Charley, do you know who "L.E.L." might be?

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 20 Sep 07 - 04:15 PM

I went out with the Whitby International Pirate Society (WhIPS)at the weekend and of course just had to sing 'You can't be a pirate with all of your parts.'

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Sep 07 - 11:18 AM

CapriUni-

If you're asking about what I've titled "The Pirates Own Song" the origin can be traced to sheetmusic: words by L.E.L., music by Horatio D. Hewitt. Boston: Geo. P. Reed, 17 Tremont Row, 1846.

There's even a graphic of a pirate ship if you find the right archives for the sheet music.

"Horatio D. Hewitt" is who I would search for via Goggle. I no longer have a direct link to the sheetmusic archives that I found.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Amos
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 11:18 PM

Last time I tried to track it down, it was traced to an early 20thC. book of poems, and has been put to a variety of different tunes by various artists. I heard it first from an old skipper who was near sixty when he sang it to me, in 1968 or so. He must have learned it forty years before, I expect.

Someone more learned than I will have to find the answer to your question.


A

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: CapriUni
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 10:23 PM

That's a great song.

What's the origin?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE PIRATE'S OWN SONG
From: Charley Noble
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 09:06 PM

Good lord! I've been ignoring this thread and more people have actually posted interesting things to it since I last posted what I thought was the final word!

Amos-

"THE PIRATE'S OWN SONG" that you've posted is alive and well and was most recently sung at the Downeast Pirates Festival in Rockland, Maine. Of course it has been somewhat folk-processed but a version of it may be accessed here: Click here and search for lyrics!

For those pirates too lazy to access a link and listen to a MP3 sample, here are the updated lyrics:

Words by L.E.L., music by Horatio D. Hewitt. Boston: Geo. P. Reed, 17 Tremont Row, 1846.
From Pirates Own Book © 1924
Adapted by Charlie Ipcar © 1993
Tune: King John & the Abbot of Canterbury
also known as Blue Mountain Lake
Key: Dm(7/Gm)

Pirates' Own Song


Dm----------------------------C/Dm/Am
Hoist our flag to the mast, it's dark as the grave,
------Dm—C---Dm/Gm-------Am
Or the death which we bear, as we sweep o'er the waves;
---------Dm----------------------Am
Have the decks cleared for action, the gun crews prepared,
----Dm--------------------------C Dm/Am
The boarding-axe sharpened, the cut-lass-es bared.

Chorus

Dm------------C-----Dm/Am/Dm
And it's down, down; sink them all down!

Have the great guns run out, then bring unto me,
For the last of me duties, the gun powder key;
I never will lower this black flag we bear;
If the sea be denied us, we'll fly through the air! (CHO)

To share lies the plunder, from our last prey,
It's mine to divide; it's yours to obey;
I claim not a portion; I ask but for mine –
A toast to our prize – one cup of red wine! (CHO)

Now some fights for riches; some fights for fame:
The first I despise; the last's but a name;
I fight for vengeance! I love to see flow,
At the stroke of me saber, the blood of me foe! (CHO)

I strike for the memory of long-vanished years:
Of a fair maiden lost, of a family in tears;
I strike in a flash, as lightning from above,
And chase o'er the waves to the battle I love! (CHO)

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: Lyr Add: PIRATE'S SONG
From: Amos
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 08:00 PM

PIRATE'S SONG.


To the mast nail our flag -- it is dark as the grave,
For the death which it bears while it sweeps o'er the wave;
Let our deck clear for action, our guns be prepared;
Be the boarding-axe sharpened, the scimitar bared:
Set the canisters ready, and then bring to me,
For the last of my duties, the powder-room key.


It shall never be lowered, the black flag we bear;
If the sea be denied us, we sweep through the air.
Unshared have we left our last victory's prey;
It is mine to divide it, and yours to obey:
There are shawls that might suit a sultana's white neck,
And pearls that are fair as the arms they will deck.

There are flasks which, unseal them, the air will disclose
Diametta's fair summers, the home of the rose.
I claim not a portion: I ask but as mines
'Tis to drink to our victory one cup of red wine.
Some fight, 'tie for riches some fight, 'tie for fame:
The first I despise, and the last is a name.

I fight, 'tis for vengeance! I love to see flow,
At the stroke of my sabre, the life of my foe.
I strike for the memory of long-vanished years;
I only shed blood where another shed tears.
I come, as the lightning comes red from above,
O'er the race that I loathe, to the battle I love.

Anon.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: GUEST,buspassed
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 07:21 PM

" But where are yer buccaneers?"

" Under me buccan'at!"

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Bill D
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 06:01 PM

especially Babancourt

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 05:49 PM

What have they done to the rum?

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 05:44 PM

Ahh.,.. that's why....

: )

Nobody move, I've dropped me brain.

LTS

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: lady penelope
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 05:19 PM

Why is the rum always gone?

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: CapriUni
Date: 19 Sep 07 - 04:50 PM

Refreshing this thread in honor of the (spoof) holiday: "International Talk like a pirate day" (September 19th). Since this is Mudcat, for us, I think it should be "sing like a pirate day."

On purely abstract grounds, I think it more likely than not that pirates did sing. You don't need to romanticize them to acknowledge that they were human. And human beings sing.

But the idea that they'd have a set designatedd "Pirate songs," is, perhaps, a bit more doubtful.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 14 Dec 05 - 03:44 AM

yo ho ho and a bottle of rum?

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: EBarnacle
Date: 14 Dec 05 - 12:21 AM

I've sailed the seas all over
And rummaged and pillaged for loot
Now I'm laid out in the cockpit
And into the next world I'll shoot.

Just add a few verses as needed, to the tune of Rosin the Beau.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: GUEST,jasmine odea
Date: 13 Dec 05 - 09:05 PM

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: mg
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 01:13 AM

http://www.contemplator.com/sea/ward.html here is a song about a pirate..very old.. I love tje pirate's seranade..is it old or new? mg

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: curmudgeon
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 05:41 PM

It's fun to charter an accountant,
And sail the wide accountan-cy.
To find, explore the funds offshore,
And skirt the shoals of bankruptcy.
It can be manly in insurance.
We'll up your premium semi-anually.
It's all tax-deductible,
We're fairly incorruptible.
We're sailing on the wide accountan-cy.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: GUEST,Black Jake
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 04:01 PM

"On the Good Ship Lollipop" " Summer Holiday" "Theme from Joe 90"
"Run Out the Plank, Mr Riley, I'll Have No White-Livered Scum Aboard My Vessel!" "Keel Haul the Swabs" "Them That Die Will Be The Lucky Ones" "Come Out Squire Trelawney" "Shiver Me Timbers"

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Nerd
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 07:40 PM

Ha! Thanks Charley. I totally missed the sentence where she said she found Stuart Frank's book. Sorry, Mary!

Another approach would be to look at all the primary and secondary sources you can find about Pirates and see whether any songs are mentioned therein. One thing that's neat about Amazon.com: some of the books have a "look inside" feature that lets you look at the index. I just peeked at Pirates by Angus Konstam, and found that there is no index entry for song, singing, or music. Sorry!

But David Cordingly's book Under The Black Flag has a few mentions of "Music at Sea" in its index. Sadly, I have this book, but it is packed away (I move house in a couple of weeks), so I can't look to see if it would help you!

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 07:06 PM

A favorite in the evening song circles on the poop deck where the folk pirates were forced to gather was based on the old French round, "Frere jacque". A common variation was: Aaarrrghh ya sleepin', Aarrrggh ya sleepin', Davey Jones, skull and bones. Hang 'em from the topsail, Heave 'em from the forecastle. Walk the plank, walk the plank. It was typically sung in three parts harmony, one part rum although sometimes the rum had a bigger part. On the whole these groups tended to consider absolutely everything to be public domain and therefore free for them to appropriate, inappropriate as that may seem today. Among the black pirates (i.e. pirates with higher levels of melanin beneath their skin, for the case could be made that all pirates were "black" in a different sense not referring to their pigmentaition of facial hair) the old spiritual "Steal Away" had a loyal following. The words were often spontaneously modified to reflect the loot d'jour (from: "A Jib and a Jab, Freelancing on the High Seas", 1923, Okrakoke Press).   Some pirate songs were collected as recently as the late 20th century before it was all over. Once scurrilous crew known as the Lincoln Park Pirates (as far as I can tell there is no known connection to the aforementioned Pirates from Pittsburg)beginning with "Way, hey haul them away," a line that could have come from 19th century shanties. Their song contained a fair amount of braggadacio and refers to a possible hideout from which they took their name, The Lincoln Park Lagoo-in (possibly "lagoon")(S Goodman, aural communication)

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 04:28 PM

Of course the Spanish pirates sang El Señor Don Gato.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 12:24 PM

According to Mary's original post, she's familiar with Stuart Frank's fine book. I also agree it provides the best overview that's available.

Now I'm sure if the pirates had heard the contemporary song "You Can't be a Pirate (with all your parts)" they would have sung it with gusto.

And I'm sure they would have got a kick out of Tanglefoot's "Traighli Bay."

Of course there may still be some Malay pirates singing traditional songs, in between cuts from their MP3 players.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Flash Company
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 10:11 AM

Oh, Thank you Nigel Parsons, I was about to mention 'Dr Syn on the High Seas' but hadn't discovered that site.
I used to love those books! Now to find out if I can get copies.

FC

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 05:24 AM

Of course there's always the song sung by that scourge of the seaways Captain Clegg. (a.k.a. Parson Syn DD, a.k.a. The Scarecrow)
Here's to the feet

Or the extended version of Long John Silver's "Fifteen men"
Fifteen men (1901 version)

Nigel

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 01:38 AM

Songs Pirates Sang.
TTO: Song Sung Blue.


Songs Pirates sang, nobody knows one....

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: LadyJean
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 12:45 AM

As a child I encountered a song that began, "Take the Ballymena paint her nice and black. Run up the skull and crossbones, farewell to Union Jack."


The Pittsburgh Pirates sing, "The bucs are going all the way! All the way! All the way! The bucs are going all the way all the way this year! Beat 'em bucs! Go like 60!"

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 12:35 AM

Henry Martin is a song about a pirate...does that help?

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 06:42 PM

Problem is that most Pirate Broadsides often sunk the ship...

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Dave Ruch
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 05:07 PM

Stuart Frank (mentioned above) along with Mary Malloy put out a CD a few years ago called "Pirate Songs", from the book also mentioned above. There doesn't seem to be much contact info inside the CD case, but it is a 2001 CD by Grey Horse Productions, Lubbock TX.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 12:33 PM

The Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960 sang We Are Famileeeee, when they beat the Yankees in the World Series.

Sorry I can't offer anything sensible..

Jerry

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Cats
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 12:27 PM

They would have sung anything as long as it was in the present tense, after all, 'pirates only speaks in the present tense'. Perhaps they got their songs from Pirate Radio here in Cornwall...sorry.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 05:41 AM

'Give us your money or we'll sink your ship'. What do you mean you don't know it?

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Weasel Books
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 05:39 AM

Why wouldn't pirates sing? Popular broadsides are probably your best bet. Try and see what was popular in town (wherever that may be) during the time that you are working on.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: fat B****rd
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 03:40 AM

"Shakin' All Over" "Please Don't Touch" fronted by Captain Johnny Kidd

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Haruo
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 01:45 AM

Nowadays I think most pirates sing in Bahasa Melayu.

Haruo

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Nerd
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 01:25 AM

There is a book by Stuart Frank called The Book of Pirate Songs. It's fairly scholarly and has sources listed for each song. I'd recommend going through it to see if Frank mentions any documented cases of pirates singing them.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: beetle cat
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 11:39 PM

Humph. Seems like lots of frowns thus far. For now I will change my thesis to something concerning perceptions of pirates through songs sung by different social classes, times and places. But in the long run, it is rather disturbing that all we have to go on about pirates is what other people said about them. I guess it is just modern media that gave me the idea that pirates sung. But it did make a bit of sense, I mean, heh, the common ignorant public often refers to the ordinary shanty as a "pirate song" (when there is no ready hard proof that they sung at all). Apparently pirates are not responsible for as much as they are credited for. But that is a given. Of corse pirates are dreadfully romanticized, but.. they had to at least sing... I will keep on searching, the frowns motivate me.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Naemanson
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 11:01 PM

They probably sang whatever they had. There was nobody recording what pirates did because none of the pirates wanted to be identified as such or they were illiterate or both. The captives either died or wanted to make sure everyone knew that the pirates were unlettered savages who should be wiped from the sea.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Lighter
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 07:05 PM

Can't think of a single reason why pirates would've sung anything special. Maybe fewer sea songs than landlubbers did.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Big Mick
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 06:43 PM

I did a quick Google search using "songs sung by pirates". Here are two quick items and I am sure there are more. You will have to wade through other related stuff. You might also PM Masato Sakurai.

http://www.boggandsalty.com/bogg_new/blank2004.html?piratemusicians

... Collected in this book are the music and lyrics of over 60 sea songs, shanties, and ... Presented here are songs pirates would have sung, songs about pirates ... http://www.deadmentellnotales.com/page/DM/PROD/RB/NQGS

In 1928 a young writer named Helen Creighton, was asked to research a story about Nova Scotia's pirates. She had never heard any local pirate stories, so she drove from her home in Dartmouth to the mouth of Halifax Harbour, at Eastern Passage. There she met Enos Hartlan, who not only told her pirate stories, but sang pirate songs. "That," said Helen, "is when the light went on."....http://www.novascotia.com/multimedia/music/songs.htm

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: curmudgeon
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 06:28 PM

Good luck in your quest, Mary. I fear it may be less than fruitful.

The "Golden Age" of piracy ran from the lat 1500s to the early 1800s.    Its end roughly coincides with the beginning of the "Golden Age" of the shanty. While there is a possiblility that shanties were employed prior to the early 19th century, this was not a common practise as the shanty was a tool to ensure that work was done at the most efficient pace so as to move commerce more quickly. Pirates were only concerned with speed when fleeing a superior warship. The end of hostilities in 1815 left the US and British navies with nothing much to do but pursue the last vestiges of piracy.

As to forebitters, you'll always be safe with the "Maid of Amsterdam."

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Chris Green
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 06:14 PM

My dad used to sing one that started:

"'Twas evil that I did, as I sailed, as I sailed
Aye 'twas evil that I did as I sailed
'Twas evil that I did, aye, and all the angels hid
And me name was Captain Kidd, as I sailed, as I sailed."

Actually, while typing this message, it occurred to look for it in the DT and it's here!

Also, after reading "The Pyrates" by George Macdonald Fraser, I will always think of buccaneers singing "Spanish Ladies"! Horribly anachronistic I know, but hey!

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 06:00 PM

According to the RIAA they sing what everyone else is singing except they don't pay for it.

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 05:36 PM

Subject: RE: songs pirates sang.
From: Tobyjug
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 05:35 PM

How about "Robbin' the boat"?

Subject: songs pirates sang.
From: beetle cat
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 05:30 PM

There are plenty of songs about Pirates; Music Hall songs, Child Ballads, Broadside Ballads, etc. A lot can be learned from these songs about common perceptions of Pirates over the years, and from different social classes possibly. I've found Stuart Frank's book.
But I am still wondering, what did the pirates actually sing, and what proof do we have of it? I'm not sure if pirate captains would have kept ships logs as ordinary captains did, as those have proved to be such a valuable resource for song texts. And I don't know if any body ever dared collect from a pirate directly. So, on an every day basis, did pirates sing the same common shanties and forebitters as ordinary sailors, or did they have a musical culture all their own from which we can learn not outside perceptions, but rather from the inside? What do you think, and do you have any examples of songs that we know were sung by the pirates themselves?
Mary.