The Sailor's Song- Tate (VA) pre1979 Yates REC
[From: Far in the Mountains- Mike Yates; The Sailor's Song sung by Dan Tate at his home in Fancy Gap, Carroll County, VA. Recorded 14.8.79. The title is the same as Stoneman's first recording done for Okeh in 1915. Dan as some unusual verses not found in other versions.
R. Matteson 2014]
Yates notes:
Another ballad, The Mermaid mentioned above, was also recorded twice. Once by members of the Stoneman Family who came from Galax in Virginia and once by The Carter Family. Both ballads (The Wife of Usher's Well and The Mermaid) are of interest to me because I collected versions of them when I was in the Appalachians many years ago. The Mermaid came from Dan Tate of Fancy Gap, VA, a small settlement a few miles from Galax and I have often wondered if Dan had heard the Stoneman family version of the ballad.
The Sailor's Song- sung by Dan Tate at his home in Fancy Gap, Carroll County, VA. Recorded 8- 14-79.
Oh, the first on deck was the Captain of the ship,
Fine young Captain was he.
He formed a song, 'We've all done wrong,
As we sailed on the lonesome sea'.
The next on deck was the lady of the ship,
Fine young lady was she.
She formed a song 'We've all done wrong,
As we sailed on the lonesome sea'.
Well, the next on deck was the doctor of the ship,
A fine young doctor was he.
He told his patients on their beds so low
They would sink to the bottom of the sea.
The next on deck was the drunkard of the ship,
A wicked old cuss [1] was he.
He said he didn't give a damn if the boat would never land,
Let her sink to the bottom of the sea.
Stormy winds let them blow,
Raging seas let them roar.
Stormy winds let them blow,
While these poor sailors all a-running up the ropes
And the landlord [2] a-crying out below.
1. sings "curse"
2 from landsmen.