The Golden Vanity

Words & Music:

Traditional

 

      G                       D                Em

There was a ship that sailed along the lowland sea,

        C           A            D          D7

And the name of the ship was the Golden Vanity.

         G                               D          Em

And they swore she would be taken by the Spanish enemy,

       C                D7       G   C                D7      G

As she sailed along the lowland, oh, sailed along the lowland sea.

 

Then up spoke our cabin boy, and boldly out spoke he,

And he said to our captain, "What would you give to me,

If I swam along side of the Spanish enemy,

And sank her in the lowland, oh, sank her in the lowland sea?"

 

"Oh, I will give you silver, and I will give you gold,

And my own fair young daughter your bonnie bride shall be,

If you swim along side of the Spanish enemy,

And sink her in the lowland, oh, sink her in the lowland sea."

 

So the boys they made him ready, and overboard sprang he,

And he swam along side of the Spanish enemy.

And with his brace and auger in her side he bore holes three,

And sank her in the lowland, oh, sank her in the lowland sea.

 

Then quickly he swam back to the cheering of the crew,

But the captain would not heed him, for his promise he did rue,

And he scorned his poor entreatings when loudly he did sue,

And left him in the lowland, oh, left him in the lowland sea.

 

Then 'round-a-bout he turned, and swam to the port side,

And up unto his messmates full bitterly he cried,

"Messmates, draw me up, for I'm drifting with the tide,

And sinking in the lowland, oh, sinking in the lowland sea.

 

Well, his messmates drew him up, but on the deck he died.

And they stitched him in his hammock that was so fair and wide.

And they lowered him overboard and he drifted with the tide,

And sank into the lowland, oh, sank into the lowland sea.