The Golden Vanity Songtext
von Rory Block

Well, there was a ship that sailed all on the lonely sea
And the name of our ship it was the Golden Vanity
And we feared she would be taken by a Spanish enemy
As she sailed upon the lowland lowland low
She sailed upon the lowland sea

Then up spoke our cabin boy and boldly out spoke he
And he said onto the captain, "What would you give to me
If I swam alongside of your Spanish enemy
And I sank her in the lowland lowland low
I sank her in the lowland sea"

"Well, I would give you silver and I would give you gold
And my own fair daughter your bonny bride shall be
If you swim alongside of the Spanish enemy
And you sink her in the lowland lowland low
You sink her in the lowland sea"


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

Then the crew they hauled him out, but upon the deck he died
And they wrapped him in his blanket so very soft and wide
They cast him overboard to drift upon the tide
And he left him in the lowland lowland low
He left him in the lowland sea

Then the boy he swam round on to the port side
And up onto his messmates full bitterly he cried
"Kind messmates, pull 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 pulled him up, but on the deck he died
And they stitched him in a hammock which was so fair and white
And they low'red him overboard, and he drifted with the tide
And he sank into the lowland lowland low
He sank into the lowland sea