The Lowlands Low- Ford (WS-CA) 1938 Cowell REC
[Dust jacket notes inscribed by Sidney Robertson Cowell: AFS 4194 A2 is a recording of a fragment (2 verses) of the "The Lowlands low;" AFS 4194 A3 repeats this, with a different refrain as sung by Warde Ford's Uncle Rob Walker.
Warde Ford, had moved from upstate New York to Wisconsin, and finally, to California, in search of work. Ford was a talented singer who came from a singing family. He and his brothers knew an enormous number of traditional songs and ballads, and Cowell eventually recorded more than 200 of their tunes.
It seems likely that Ford knew more of this ballad but these fragments are all that remain.
R. Matteson 2014]
Lowlands Low- Warde Ford, unaccompanied vocals. Recorded by Sidney Robertson Cowell in Central Valley, California on December 25, 1938.
Listen: http://memory.loc.gov/afc/afccc/audio/a419/a4194a2.mp3
Then he seized his auger and overboard jumped he
He swam along the side of that Spanish Lowvaleer
He bored her bright ship's bottom and he let the water in
And he sank her in the lowlands low
And he sank her in the lowlands low
Captain, cruel captain, if it wasn't for your men
I would bore your bright ship's bottom and I'd let the water in
I would bore your bright ship's bottom and I'd let the water in
And I'd sink you in the lowlands low
And I'd sink you in the lowlands low
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Lowlands Low- Ford as sung by his uncle Rob Walker.
Then he seized his auger and overboard jumped he
He swam along the side of that Spanish Lowvaleer
He bored her bright ship's bottom and he let the water in
And he sank her in the lowlands lonesome low
And he sank her in the lowlands low