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THE GOLDEN VANITY

(learned in Cal Band in the 1950s)

Oh, there once was a ship, and she sailed upon the sea,
And the name of the ship was the Golden Vanity,
And we feared she would be taken by the Spanish enemy,
As she sailed upon the lowland, lowland, low,
As she sailed upon the lowland sea.

Then up spoke our cabin boy, and boldly outspoke he,
And he said to our captain, What will you give to me
If I swim alongside of the Spanish enemy,
And sink her in the lowland, lowland, low,
And sink her in the lowland sea.

Oh, I will give you silver, and I will give you gold,
And my own fair young daughter your bonny bride shall be,
If you will swim alongside of the Spanish enemy
And sink her in the lowland, lowland, low,
And sink her in the lowland sea.

So the boy, he made him ready, and overboard sprang he,
And he swam alongside of the Spanish enemy,
And with his brace and auger in her side he bored holes three,
And he sank her in the lowland, lowland, low,
And he 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 entreating as loudly he did sue,
And he left him in the lowland, lowland, low,
And he left him in the lowland sea.

So roundabout he turned, and he swam to the port side,
And up to his messmates full bitterly he cried,
Oh, messmates, draw me up, for I'm drifting with the tide
And I'm sinking in the lowland, lowland, low,
I'm sinking in the lowland sea.

So his messmates drew him up, but on the deck he died,
And they stitched him in his hammock which was so fair and wide,
And they lowered him overboard, and he drifted with the tide,
And he sank into the lowland, lowland, low,
And he sank into the lowland sea.

(from miriam berg's folksong collection)