Golden Vanity- Seeger/Guthrie (NY) 1941 REC
[This version is not traditional but is included here because it is an influential version. Seeger, who sang lead on the Almanac Singers version, said (American Ballads notes) he learned his version from the Carter Family's 1935 recording. The Carter's did not have a verse about the cabin boy sinking the ship so verse six was added. This is clearly an arrangement using other sources.
The Almanac Singers included Woody Guthrie, Lee Hays and Millard Lampell. Lyrics as reprinted (with minor corrections by Manfred Helfert) in Ronald D. Cohen & Dave Samuelson, liner notes for "Songs for Political Action," Bear Family Records BCD 15720 JL, 1996, p. 87. ORIGINAL ISSUE: "DEEP SEA CHANTEYS AND WHALING BALLADS," General Album G-20 (Gen 5016-B), 1941.
R. Matteson 2014]
THE GOLDEN VANITY- sung Almanac Singers (1941)
There was a lofty ship, and she put out to sea,
And the name of this ship was the Golden Vanity,
And she sailed upon the low and lonesome low
And she sailed upon the lonesome sea.
She had not been out but two weeks or three
When she was overtaken by a Turkish Reveley,
And she sailed upon the low and lonesome low
And she sailed upon the lonesome sea.
Then up spake our little cabin boy,
Saying, "What will you give me if I will them destroy,
If I sink them in the low and lonesome low,
If I sink them in the lonesome sea?"
"Oh, the man that them destroys," Our captain then replied.
"Five thousand pounds, and my daughter for his bride,
If he sinks them in the low and lonesome low,
If he sinks them in the lonesome sea!"
So the boy smote his breast And down jumped he.
He swum 'til he come to the Golden Reveley,
As she sailed upon the low and lonesome low
As she sailed upon the lonesome sea.
He had a little tool That was made for the use,
He bore nine holes in her hull all at once,
And he sunk her in the low and lonesome low
And he sunk her in the lonesome sea.
Then he swum back to his ship, And he beat upon the side,
Cried, "Captain, pick me up, for I'm wearied with the tide,
And I'm sinkin' in the low and lonesome low
And I'm sinkin' in the lonesome sea!"
"Oh, I will not pick you up," The captain then replied,
"I'll shoot you, I'll drown you, I'll sink you in the tide,
I'll sink you in the low and lonesome low
I'll sink you in the lonesome sea!"