CAPTAIN KIDD



My name is Captain Kidd, as I sailed, as I sailed

My name is Captian Kidd, as I sailed

My name is Captian Kidd, God's laws I did forbid

And most wickedly I did, as I sailed, as I sailed



Oh, my parents taught me well, as I sailed, as I sailed

My parents taught me well, as I sailed

My parents taught me well to shun the gates of Hell

But against them I rebelled, as I sailed, as I sailed



Well, I murdered William Moore, as I sailed, as I sailed

I murdered William Moore, as I sailed

I murdered William Moore and I left him in his gore

Forty leagues from shore, as I sailed, as I sailed



And being cruel still, as I sailed, as I sailed

And being cruel still, as I sailed

And being cruel still the gunner I did kill

And his precious blood did spill, as I sailed, as I sailed



Well, my repentance lasted not, as I sailed, as I sailed

My repentance lasted not, as I sailed

My repentance lasted not, my vows I soon forgot

Damnation was my lot, as I sailed, as I sailed



To execution dock I must go, I must go

To execution dock I must go

To execution dock, lay my head upon the block

And no more the laws I'll mock, as I sail, as I sail



The reputation for cruelty and viciousness generally assigned to

Captain Kidd, probably the most famous of all pirates, is largely

the result of the ballad maker's art. Actually, it would appear

that William Kidd (1645?-1701) was the victim of a frame-up. He

was hanged, guilty or not, near London on May 23, 1701.



The tune, and particularly the verse pattern, of this song has

been used for other songs, such as: "Samuel Hall", "The Pirates

They Grow Small", and the American hymn, "Wonderous Love." This

version comes from Peter Seeger, who learned it in London from

Steve Benbow.

NOTE: Most versions have "My name is Robert Kidd etc." Nobody

seems to know where the "Robert" came from. RG



Recorded on "Golden Ring", FSI-16, 1964

@sailor @pirate @death

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DC

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