The Flying Cloud

歌詞

My name is Arthue Hollander as you may understand I was born ten miles from the Dublin town down on the Salt Sea Strand When I was young comely sure and fortune on me shone My parents loved me tenderly for I was their only son My father he rose up one day and with him I did go He bound me as butcher boy to Pearson of Wicklow And I wore the bloody apron for three long years or more Until I shipped on board the Ocean Queen, belonging to Tremore It was on Bermuda's Isle that I met with Captain Moore The Captain of the Flying Cloud the pride of Baltimore I am the troop to ship with him on a slaving voyage to go To the burning shores of Africa where the sugar cane does grow It all went well until we came to Africa's shores And five hundred of them poor slaves me boys from their native homes we _____ Each one was loaded down with chains as we made them walk below Just eighteen inches space was all that each man had to show The plague it came and fever too and killed them off like flies We dumped their bodies on the deck and hove them in the sea For sure the dead were lucky for they'd have to weep no more Now drag the chain and field the lash in Cuba for ever more But now our money it is spent we must go to see once more But each man stayed to listen to the words of Captain Moore "There is gold and silver to be had if with me you'll remain Let's hoist the pirate flag and sweep the Spanish Main" All agreed but three young men, so we put them on the shore Two of them were Boston boys and the third came from Baltimore Now I wish to God I'd joined those men, when they were set on shore But I chose a wild and a reckless life, serving under Captain Moore Well plundered many a gallant ship down on the Spanish Main Killed many a man and left his wife and children to remain To none we showed no kindness but gave them a watery grave For the saying of our Captain was that dead men tell no tale We ran and fought with many a ship, both frigates and liners too Till at last a British man o' war the Dunmore hove in view She fired a shot across our bows as we sailed before the wind Then a chain shot cut our main mast down and we fell far behind They beat our crew to quarters as she drew up alongside And soon across our quarterdeck there ran a crimson tide We fought until our Captain and twenty of our men Then a bomb shell set our ship on fire we had to surrender then It's now to Newgate we have come bound down in iron chains For the sinking and plundering of ships down on the Spanish Main The judge he found us guilty and we are condemned to die Young men a warning by me take and shun all piracy Then farewell Dublin city and the girl that I adore I'll never kiss your cheek again or squeeze your hand no more For whiskey and bad company have made a wretch of me Young men a warning by me take and shun all piracy