'Twas of a lofty ship, boys, and she put out to sea,
She goes by the name of the Golden Vanity
She's likely to be taken by a Tukish roving canoe,
As she sails along the Lowlands
Ch: Lowlands, as she sails along the Lowlands low!
Then up and spake our little cabin boy,
Saying "What will you give me if I will them destroy ?
If I will them destroy, send them floating o'er the tide,
And sink them in the Lowlands ?"
"O the man that them destroys," the captain then replied,
"A fortune he shall have and my daughter to his bride.
A fortune he shall have and my daughter beside
If he'll sink them in the Lowlands."
The boy bent his breast and away he jumped in,
He swam until he came to the Turkish galley-in;
He took an auger with him for to bore through her skin,
And sink her in the Lowlands.
And some were playing cards and some were playing dice;
He bored three holes once, he bored three holes twice,
The water flow-ed in, and it dazzled their eyes,
As they sunk in the Lowlands.
The boy swam back first upon the starboard side,
Crying "Captain, pick me up, for I'm wearied with the tide,
O Captain, pick me up, for I'm wearied with the tide,
And I'm sinking in the Lowlands."
"I will not pick you up, you can climb up her side,
I will not pick you up," the master replied,
"I will kill you, I will shoot you, send you floating with the tide,
And sink you in the Lowlands."
The boy swam round unto the larboard side,
Crying, "Messmates, pick me up, for I'm wearied with the tide,
O messmates, pick me up, for I'm wearied with the tide,
And I'm sinking in the Lowlands."
His messmates picked him up, and on the deck he died.
They sewed him in his hammock which was both long and wide,
And they hove him in the sea, sent him floating with the tide,
And sunk him in the Lowlands.
Once there was a skipper, he was boasting on the quay,
Saying: “I have a ship, and a gallant ship is she,
Oh I have a ship, and a gallant ship is she.
Of all the ships that I do know she's far the best to me.”
In the old Virginia Lowlands
Lowlands low
In the old Virginia Lowlands low
“Oh I had her built in the north country
And I had her christened the Golden Vanity,
Oh I had her christened the Golden Vanity,
I armed her and I manned her and I sent her off to sea.”
In the old Virginia Lowlands
Lowlands low
In the old Virginia Lowlands low
Then up spoke a sailor who had just returned from sea:
Oh I served on board of the Golden Vanity,
Oh I served on board of the Golden Vanity,
When she was held in chase by a Spanish piratee.”
In the old Virginia Lowlands
Lowlands low
In the old Virginia Lowlands low
“And we had on board of us a little cabin boy,
Who said: “ What will you give me if the galleon I destroy
Oh what will you give me if the galleon I destroy?”
“Oh you will get my daughter, she is my pride and joy.”
If you sink them in the Lowlands
Lowlands low
In the old Virginia Lowlands low
So the boy bared his breast and he plunged into the tide,
And he swam and he swam to the rascal pirate's side,
He swam and he swam to the rascal pirate's side,
And he climbed on deck and he went below and none did him espy.
And he sank them in the Lowlands
Lowlands low
In the old Virginia Lowlands low
He bore with his auger, he bore once and twice,
And some were playing cards and some were playing dice,
The water it flowed in and it dazzled their eyes,
The water it flowed in and it pulled out all their lives.
And he sank them in the Lowlands
Lowlands low
In the old Virginia Lowlands low
Well he swam and he swam all to the starboard side,
Saying: “Captain take me up, I am drifting with the tide,
Oh Captain take me up,” but so loud the Captain cried:
“I will shoot you, I will kill you, you shall not have your bride.”
I will sink you in the Lowlands
Lowlands low
In the old Virginia Lowlands low
The shipmates took him up and on the deck he died,
They sewed him in his hammock which was so strong and wide,
They sewed him in his hammock it was so strong and wide,
They prayed for him, they sang for him, they sunk him in the tide.
In the old Virginia Lowlands
Lowlands low
In the old Virginia Lowlands low
My curse be on you, Captain, wherever you may be,
My curse be on the captain of the Golden Vanity,
In waking and in sleeping, until your dying day,
For you gave your oath to him and you did him betray.
In the old Virginia Lowlands
Lowlands low
In the old Virginia Lowlands low
An alternate version