I was first introduced to this traditional song by Firepit Collective. It has since taken on a bit of a life of its own at live shows but I've never recorded a studio version. This features Ewan P Stevens on mandolin.
lyrics
Come all you gallant sailors bold,
All you who march to drum,
Let's go and look for Captain Ward,
Out on the sea he roams;
For he is the biggest robber
That ever you did hear,
And there's not been such a robber found
In above this hundred year.
And the wind blows high, and the wind blows low
All on the raging sea
A ship was sailing from the east
And heading for the west,
All laden with silks and satins fine
And velvets of the best,
On meeting there with Captain Ward,
It proved a bad meeting;
For he robbèd them of their wealth and store
And bid them tell their king.
So the king he had him built a ship of noted fame,
She was called the "Royal Rainbow,"
If you would know her name;
And she was as well provided for
As any ship could be,
With thirteen hundred sailors bold
To keep her company.
At six o' clock in the morning
They began to fight,
And so they did continue
Until eight o' clock at night.
"Oh fight on, fight on," cried Captain Ward,
"For this sport pleases me,
And although you fight for a week or more,
Your master I'll still be."
Then the "Royal Rainbow"
She fired, but all in vain,
Till 300 sailors brave
Upon the deck lay slain.
"Oh go home, go home," cried Captain Ward,
"And you tell your king from me,
He may be king of all the land,
But I'm king of the sea."
credits
from Fear The Flames (Album),
released April 29, 2022
Traditional. Features Ewan P Stevens on mandolin.
supported by 7 fans who also own “Ward The Pirate”
Great album. Almost a blend of Old Style and New Style Gaz. Delighted to have seen him perform two of the tracks live at Glastonbury. His performance was better than ever, and the songs are right up there with his best. matsan66
supported by 7 fans who also own “Ward The Pirate”
Gaz, having finally got this in the CD player, what an absolute stunner of an album, a glorious document of the hardest year in history, emotions, tears, mass singalongs, “The Old Normal”, one of my absolute key songs of last year and, topping them all, “Rule”, Gaz does full tilt screaming metal and it’s f’ing glorious! Neil Mitchell
The new EP from Scottish songwriter Alec Bowman_Clarke goes deep, setting vulnerable lyrics to gentle melodies & stripped-back arrangements. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 30, 2021
Alec Bowman perfectly captures the dark soil under the pastoral world of British folk with this collection of melancholy originals. Bandcamp New & Notable May 12, 2020