The Pirate Ship- Finley (IL) 1934 McIntosh JOAFL
The Pirate Ship (The Lowland Sea)
by David S. McIntosh
The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 48, No. 190 (Oct. - Dec., 1935), pp. 386-388
Notes: The Finley family came to Illinois from Kentucky, and are descended from John Finley who made the trip out to Kentucky from North Carolina before the historic expedition of Daniel Boone, which he returned to North Carolina to lead out into the wilderness. John Finley, according to a family legend, is responsible for the blue grass being brought into Kentucky. He
kept a store and goods were sent from the East, wrapped in grass or hay; after the goods were unwrapped, the grass was scattered over the ground, and in this way the seeds of the blue grass were sown. In the book, "Red Liquor," by Irvin S. Cobb, John Finley is one of the principal characters.
For the song, see: Sargent and Kittredge, op. cit., no. 286, as "The Sweet Trinity." Louise Pound, American Ballads and Songs, no. 10, as "The Lowlands Low." Campbell and Sharp, op. cit., no. 35, as "Golden Vanity." Ethel Park Richardson, American Mountain Songs, p. 28, as "The Mary Golden Tree."
THE PIRATE SHIP (THE LOWLAND SEA) - As sung by Mr. R. H. Finley, Carterville, Ill., May 19, 1934.
[Music upcoming]
There was a little ship and she sailed on the sea,
And it went by the name of the Golden Willow Tree,
As she sailed through the lone- some low and low,
As she sailed through the lowland sea.
She hadn't been a sailing but two weeks or three,
Till she came in sight of a Turkish robberie,
As she sailed in the lonesome low and low,
As she sailed in the Lowland Sea.
Then up spoke the cabin boy and said what would he give to me,
If I'll sink them to the bottom of this Lowland Sea,
As she sailed in the lonesome low and low,
As she sailed in the Lowland Sea.
Oh, I have money, and I have land,
And I have a daughter that will come at your command,
If you sink them in this lonesome low and low,
If you sink them in this Lowland Sea.
He jumped in the water and away swam he,
Till he came to the Turkish robberie,
As she sailed in the lonesome low and low,
As she sailed in the Lowland Sea.
He took out an instrument he had for the use,
And cut three gashes and let in the salt and water juice,
As she sailed in the lonesome low and low,
As she sailed in the Lowland Sea.
He turned on his breast [1] and away swam he,
Till he came in sight of the Golden Willow Tree,
As they sailed in the lowland low and low,
As they sailed in the Lowland Sea.
"Oh Captain, my Captain, if you are as good as your word,
Oh, now you will come and take me on board,
As you sail in the lonesome low and low,
As you sail in the Lowland Sea."
Then said the Captain, "I'm not as good as my word,
And I'll not stop and take you on board,
As we sail in the lonesome low and low,
As we sail in the Lowland Sea."
"If it wasn't for the love that I have for your men,
I'd do unto you as I did unto them;
I'd sink you in this lonesome low and low,
I'd sink you in this Lowland Sea."
Then he turned on his back and away sank he,
Sank to the bottom of that Lowland Sea,
As they sailed in the lonesome low and low,
As they sailed in the Lowland Sea.
DAVID S. MCINTOSH.
Southern Illinois State Normal University,
Carbondale, Ill.
1. usually "bent on his breast" meaning "bent over"