| Author | Topic: Add: The Three Pirates | |
| dmcg | Posted - 02 Nov 04 - 12:10 pm | |
Three pirates came to London town, Yo ho! Yo ho! Three pirates came to London town, Yo ho! Yo ho! Three pirates came to London town To see the king put on his crown, Yo ho, you lubbers, Yo ho, you lubbers, Yo ho! Yo ho! Yo ho! At first they came to a way-side inn And said "Good landlord, let us in." "Oh landlord, have you good red wine, Enough to fill this cask of thine." "Oh landlord, have you bags of gold, Enough to fill the afterhold?" "Oh yes, sirs, I have bags of gold Enough to fill the afterhold." "Oh landlord, have you daughters fair, With laughing eyes and curly hair?" "Oh yes, sirs, I have daughters fair, With laughing eyes and curly hair." "Oh landlord, will she marry me And sail with me across the sea?" "Oh yes, sir, she will marry you, And sail with you across the blue." Source: Singing Together, Autumn 1971, BBC Publications Notes: Identified as "English Folk Song." Taken from Voices of America (Follett Educational Corporation) Edited By dmcg - 02-Nov-2004 12:40:30 PM | ||
| Snuffy | Posted - 08 Nov 04 - 02:14 pm | |
Obviously a close relation of Three German Officers Crossed The Rhine. Any information on relative dates? | ||
| Guest Account |
Posted - 05 Dec 04 - 12:49 am | |
From: Lighter You scooped me, Snuffy. I've been meaning to look into this for a long time. I know nothing at all of the origin of this song. It may be based on the "German Officers" or, conceivavbly, is the source of it. The "Yo ho, you lubbers" refrain is obviously connected with versions of the "German Officer" that have "Yo ho, you buggers." I believe that these versions are all sung to the (minor) tune of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" rather than that of (major)"Mademoiselle from Armentieres." The earliest appearance of the song I have found in print is in Howard Thompson's collection of New York State folklore, "Body, Boots, and Britches" (1940), as collected from Nelle [sic] A. Schmidt of Utica, N.Y., app. in the 1930s. Schmidt may have been one of Thompson's students. Here is the text of that version: Three pirates came to London town?Yo-ho, yo-ho! Three pirates came to London town?Yo-ho, yo-ho! Three pirates came to London town To see the King put on his crown. Yo-ho, ye lubbers, yo-ho, ye lubbers; yo-ho, yo-ho, yo-ho! At first they came to a wayside inn, And said, ?Good landlord, let us in!? ?O landlord, have you good red wine Enough to fill this cask of mine?? ?O landlord, have you bags of gold Enough to fill the after-hold?? ?O landlord, have you daughter fair With laughing eyes and curly hair? ?O landlord, will she marry me, And sail with me across the sea?? This is two stanzas shorter than the previously posted text. Schmidt may well have picked up the song from a so-far untraced schoolbook publication and forgotten the two stanzas. Thompson does not mention ever collecting another text of it. The song is certainly in the style of a music-hall (or children's) song of the 19th or early 20th century. At any rate, the real questions remain: Where did "The Three Pirates" come from, and How are they related to "Three German Officers," "Parley-Voo," and any similar items? I've been keeping my eyes open for clues for years, but have found nothing. | ||