The Sweet Kumadee

There was a ship sailed from the North Country
And the name of the ship was the Sweet Kumadee
She was built of the pine and the bay oak tree
And she sailed on the Lowlands, Lowlands
And she sailed on the Lowlands Low.

He hadna been a sailin' a week but barely three
When the lookout man he sighted a French gaudie
And he said," We'll a' be sent tae the bottom of the sea
As we sailed on the etc.

Then oot an' spak oor cabin boy, and oot spak he, sayin',
"Captain, o captain, what will ye gie tae me
If I swim along the side of the French gaudie
And sink her in the etc."

"It's I will gie ye gowd, an' I will gie ye fee
And my eldest dochter your bride for tae be
If ye swim aling the side of the French gaudie
And sink her etc."

The boy bent his back, and awa' swam he
He swam till he cam' tae the French gaudie
Wi' his instruments aboot him, he started to mak' free
Tae sink her in the etc.

Some were at the cards, and some were at the dice
Four and twenty holes he has pierced in her side
Until the salt water, it flashed before their eyes
And they sank in the etc.

"O captain, o captain, be as good as your word,
Ye'll throw me a rope and ye'll pu' me on board
Ther gaudie she lies at the bottom of the road
She's lying in the etc."

"I winna throw a rope, nor pu' ye on board
Ye can swim tll ye sink, just as true as me word.
Ye can swim till ye sink tae the bottom of the road
Ye can sink etc."

"Ye'll throw me a rope, and ye'll pu' me frae the sea
Or I'll swim to the side o' your Sweet Kumadee
And I'll send her tae the bottom like the French Gaudie
That's lying in the etc."

He's thrown him a rope, and they've pu'd him frae the sea
An' he's gi'en tae him the gowd, an' he's gi'en tae him the fee
And his eldest dochter his bride for tae be
As they sailed on the Lowlands, Lowlands
As they sailed on the Lowlands low.

From singing of Ewan MacColl
Child #286
RG
apr96