2
Paul Jones
'Paul Jones,' represented by two versions in our collection, ap-
pears to be an account of the victory won off Flamborough Head,
Yorkshire, September 23, 1778, by Commodore Paul Jones, with the
Bonhomme Ricliard and the Pallas, from the British ships Serapis
and Countess of Scarborough. Jones's flagship, the Bonhomme
Richard, was, before being refitted as a man-of-war, the East
Indianman Duras. His French allies behaved badly in the engage-
ment.
Mackenzie, in BSSNS 205-7, gives a detailed history of the bal-
lad, showing that Paul Jones was the subject of British as well as
American ballads, and citing numerous collections and songsters
containing pieces about him, both British and American. Of these,
the most popular first appeared as broadsides, which seem to be
the source of the North Carolina versions. Chappell, in FSRA 48,
5^4 NORTH CAROLINA FOLKLORE
prints a version from Charles Tillett, Wanchese, Roanoke Island,
obtained in 1924-25, which begins with a stanza corresponding to
A 7, below ; has a refrain, "Hurrah ! our country forever, hurrah !"
repeated at the end and at the end of each following stanza; but
lacks a stanza corresponding to A 6.
'Paul Jones.' Contributed by P. D. Midgett, Jr., from Wanchese, June
S. 1920.
1 A forty-gun frigate from Baltimore came,
Her guns mounted forty, and Richard by name,
Went cruising the channel of old England,
With a noble commander, Paul Jones was the man.
2 We had not sailed long before we did spy
A large forty-four and a twenty close by,
All these warlike vessels full laden with store ;
Our captain pursued them on the bold York shore.
3 At the hour of twelve Pierce came alongside
With a large speaking trumpet : 'Whence came you ?' he
cried.
'Quick give me an answer, I've hailed you before,
Or at this moment a broadside I'll pour.'
4 We fought them five glasses, five glasses so hot,
Till sixty bright seamen lay dead on the spot,
Full seventy wounded lay bleeding in gore.
How fierce our loud cannons on the Richard did roar.
5 Our gunner got frightened, to Paul Jones he came.
'Our ship she is sinking, likewise in a flame.'
Paul Jones he smiled in the height of his pride,
Saying, 'This day I'll conquer or sink alongside.'
6 Here's health to those widows who shortly must weep,
For the loss of their husbands who sunk in the deep.
Here's a health to those young girls who shortly must
mourn
For the loss of their sweethearts that's overboard thrown.
7 Here's a health to Paul Jones with sword in hand —
He was foremost in action, in giving command.
Here's a health to Paul Jones and all his crew —
If we hadn't a French Captain, boys, what could we do !
'Paul Jones.' From Professor J. B. Henneman, Vanceboro, Craven
county, who got it from Mrs. Elizabeth Simpkins (nee Laughinghouse).
of Vanceboro, through H. W. Tichenor, in 1906.
NATIVE AMERICAN BALLADS 525
1 An American frigate from Baltimore come,
Her guns mounted forty in the Richard Bonhomme,
Went to cruise in the channels of old England's shore
With a noble commander, Paul Jones was his name.
2 Two likely warships were laden with store.
Our captain he pursued to the bold York shore.
At the hour of twelve Pierce came alongside,
With a fine speaking-trumpet, 'Whence came you? he
cried.
3 'Quick, make me an answer, I've hailed you before,
Else this very instant a broadside I'll pour.'
Paul Jones he exclaimed, 'My boys, we'll not run ;
Let every brave seaman stand fast by his gun.'
4 A broadside was fired by the brave Englishman.
We bold buckskins we returned it again.
We fought them five glances, five glances most hot ;
Fifty dead seamen lay dead on the spot.
5 Whilst full seventy more lay bleeding in gore.
And Pierce's loud cannon on the Richard did roar.
One gunner was frightened, to Paul Jones he came;
'Our luckless warship is sinking, likewise in a flame.'
6 Paul Jones he smiled in the height of his prime [pride?],
'We've conquered this day, boys, or we'll smk alongside.
The Lion bore down the Richard to rake.
Caused the proud heart of Britain to ache.
7 Paul Jones he smiled in the height of his pride :
'We've taken the prize of a large forty-four and a twenty
likewise.
Two likely warships were laden with store,
We'll toss up our cantoos [cans to?] our country once
more.'
8 God help the poor widows who shortly must weep
For the loss of their husbands now sunk in the deep.
We'll drink to the brave Paul Jones, Paul Jones is the man,
Who stood foremost in action and gave us command.
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220
Paul Jones
'Paul Jones.' Sung by C. K. Tillett. Recorded at Wanchese, Roanoke Island in
1922. This version has no refrain as in the version by the same singer repro-
duced in FSRA 48, which shows interesting variations. The two-measure
rhythmical pattern serves for the build-up of the eight-measure phrase. It is
surprising what variety can be achieved in spite of this limitation. The very
ending reminds of 'The Red, White, and Blue.'
For melodic relationship cf. ***FSRA 48, No. 24 (but no chorus).
Scale: Heptachordal. Tonal Center: e-flat. Structure: aa^bc (2,2,2,2) = ab
(4,4).