THE GOLDEN VANITY (trad./ALMANAC SINGERS) (1600s/1941)

THE ALMANAC SINGERS, 1941: WOODY GUTHRIE, LEE HAYS, MILLARD LAMPELL, PETE SEEGER
(left to right)

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A broadside of 1682-85, in which Sir Walter Raleigh plays the ungrateful capatain, seems to have been the ultimate ancestor of the abundant traditional copies of this ballad [Child #286] found in the British Isles and America. Sir Walter has dropped out entirely; the English ship's name appears variously as Merry Golden Tree, Golden China Tree, Golden Willow Tree, Golden Merrilee.

Albert B. Friedman, The Penguin Book of Folk Ballads, New York, NY, 1976, p. 409.

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. [PETE SEEGER, lead vocal]

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!"

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