The Golden Vanity- Abbott (ON) 1957 Fowke
[From: Traditional Singers and Songs from Ontario by Fowke 1965. One of the few version where the Captain get retribution for his cruel deed.
R. Matteson 2014]
THE GOLDEN VANITY- Sung by O. J. Abbott; August, 1957
1. There was a gallant ship in the North Americay,
And the name that she went by was the Golden Vanity.
She was to be taken by the English Canopy,
Was to sink her in the lowlands, lowlands, lowlands,
Was to sink her in the lowlands low.
2. The first came on board- was a little cabin boy,
Saying, "Captain, what'll you give me if the ship I do destroy?
"Gold, I will give you and my daughter for a bride,
If you'll sink her in the lowlands, lowlands , lowlands,
If you'll sink her in the lowlands low."
3. This boy took an auger and overboard went he,
This boy bent his breast as he swam the raging sea,
He swam till he came to the English Canopy,[1]
For to sink her in the lowlands, lowlands, lowlands,
For to sink her in the lowlands low.
This boy bored three holes, three holes he bored twice,
As some were playing cards and others shaking dice,
To see their dark eyes twinkle as the water came pouring in, [2]
And them sinking in the lowlands, lowlands, lowlands,
And them sinking in the lowlands low.
This boy turned around and he swum back again,
He swum till he came to the Golden Vanitv,
Saying, "Captain, pick me up, I am going with the sea,
For I'm sinking in the lowlands, lowlands, lowlands,
And I'm sinking in the lowlands low."
"Pick you up," says the captain, "That I never will,
Kill you or drown you, I'll do it with a will,'
Gold, I will not give you, nor my daughter for your bride,
And I'll sink you in the lowlands, lowlands, lowlands,
And I'll sink you in the lowlands low."
His shipmates picked him up, it was there on deck he died.
They rolled him in his hammock for it was both long and wide,
They rolled him in his hammock and they buried him with the tide,
And he sank in the lowlands, lowlands, lowlands,
And he sank in the lowlands low.
Three weeks or after, the sky shone bright and clear,
A voice from the heavens it smote the captain's ear,
Saying , "Captain, cruel Captain, you've been cruel unto me,
And I'll sink you in the lowlands, lowlands, lowlands,
And I'll sink you in the lowlands low."
The captain was amazed; he didn't know what to say.
The Captain was amazed as the mainmast gave away.
She leveled with the water and she sank into the sea,
And she sank in the lowlands, lowlands, lowlands,
And she sank in the lowlands low.
1. Golden Vanity, had the wrong boat here so I changed it.
2. Usually it's the water that dazzles.