119. The Lorena Bold Crew


119
The Lorena Bold Crew

This is but a fragment of the song of a fight with a pirate which
Chappell has already printed in his Folk-Songs of Roanoke and the
Albemarle, 52-3, twelve stanzas, under the title 'Baxter's Bold
Crew.' Chappell's source for the song was Charles Tillett of
Wanchese. Our fragment was secured by L. W. Anderson of Nag's
Head from Maxine Tillett of that place ; so tliat presumably the
song is a family tradition. Of the song elsewhere the editor knows
nothing, nor can he explain the difference in title. The three
stanzas, though not identical with the opening stanzas of the FSRA
text, belong clearly to the same tradition.

1 It was early one morning
A ship we did spy ;

Just under her foreyards
A black flag did fly.

2 'Lord, Lord,' cries our captain,
'And it's what shall we do?

If they be bold pirates
They'll sure heave us to.'

3 Up steps our bold mate, boys.
Saying 'Them we do not fear ;
We will hoist our main topsail
And away from them steer.*
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119
The Lorena Bold Crew
'Huxter's Bold Crew.' Sung by C. K. Tillett. Recorded at Wanchese, Roanoke
Island, December 29, 1922. Like all the other songs of this singer this ballad
also was recorded before those given in FSRA. Nevertheless, there still is
considerable similarity in these two versions. (See below.) Of numerous
stanzas given by Chappell only three are printed in our II 353. Mentioned
should be the change in title from 'Buxter's' to 'Huxter's.' Dr. Brown notes:
"Chantey?" Cf. SSLKFS 16-17.

 

For melodic relationship cf. **FSRA 52.

Scale: Mode II, plagal. Tonal Center: g. Structure: aba^c (2,2,2,2) =z aa^
(4.4).