The High Barbaree- Maynard (RI) 1862 Flanders A
[This version is clearly based or similar to the version published in the American Songster in NY circa 1840.
Flanders has 7 versions in her Ancient Ballads books published in 1966 with notes by Coffin. Coffin apparently took Frank Shay's word that Charles Dibden (Dibdin) wrote a similar ballad based on the "George Aloe" which developed into "Coast of Barbary/High barbaree" songs. So far none has been found and apparently it's a mix-up because one of Didbin's songs is titled "Blow High Blow Low" - which is a completely different song.
I'm also wondering what rare US or Canadian ballad has the "George Aloe" in it- since none have been found.
R. Matteson 2014]
The Coast of Barbary
(Laws K33, related to Child 285)
"George Aloe and the sweepstake" (Child 285), which the jailer's daughter sings in The Two Noble Kinsmen, is extremely rare in America and is not found in the Flanders Collection at all. However, the common sea ballad "The Coast of Barbary" telling a similal stoly is known widely in the States and to some extent in England. This song places back to a piece written for the British Navy by Charles Dibden (1745-1814). Dibden based his composition on "George Aloe and. the Sweepstake" but retained little of his model beyond the plot outline and the "Barbary" refrain. In songs based on Dibden's original, the man-of-war defeats
a pirate or privateer, although the merchantman, George Aloe, originally conquered a French naval vessel. The Flanders texts follow the usual songster versions known in New England. Flanders A, very close to the A text in Phillips Barry's British Ballads from Maine, 413, is also like The American Songster (New York) version, as are the Flanders E and F fragments. Flanders B and C follow The Forget-me-not Songster (Turner and Fisher, Philadelphia) text, which in turn is like an old American broadside now in the Massachusetts Historical Society library and given as Barry D.
See Coffin, 152-3, for American bibliography to "George Aloe" and to the "Coast of Barbary." Laws, ABBB, 157-8, and Dean-Smith, 58, list the latter song. The tunes for Child 285 are related, but not closely, with the exception of the Kneeland and Delano tunes. Tunes for this ballad are exceedingly rare in the standard American collections.
A. Recited by Maude Lyman Stevens of Newport, Rhode Island, who says, "This ballad was heard by Admiral Washburn Maynard of the United States Navy in Newport in 1862." M. Olney, Collector
The High Barbaree
Oh, once there were two ships, and two ships there were of fame.
Blow high, blow low, 'cause slow sail-ed we.
Oh, one was the King of Prussia, and the other was Archie of Spain,
Cruising down along the coast of the High Barbaree.
"Aloft there, aloft there," our gallant commander cried.
Blow high, blow low, 'cause slow sail-ed we.
"Look ahead, look astern, look to windward. and to lee,"
Cruising down along the coast of the High Barbaree.
"Oh, there's nothing ahead, and there 's nothing astern."
Blow high, blow low, 'cause slow sail-ed we;
"But there's a lofty freight a-windward and another one on our lee,"
Cruising down along the coast of the High Barbaree.
"Oh, is she a man-of-war, or is she a privateer?"
Blow high, blow low, for slow sail-ed we.
"She is not a man-of-war, nor is she a privateer,"
Cruising down along the coast of the High Barbaree.
"Now hail-ah, oh hail-ah," our gallant commander cried.
Blow high, blow low, so sail-ed we.
"Oh, I'm a saucy pirate as this night you soon shall see,"
Cruising down along the coast of the High Barbaree.
Then broadside, for broadside, this daring dog did pour,
Blow high, blow low, for slow sail-ed we,
Till the man at the helm shot the pirate's mast away,
Cruising down along the coast of the High Barbaree.
Then for merc|, for mercy, this daring dog did cry,
Blow high, blow low, for so sail-ed we.
"Oh, the mercy I will give you, I will sink you in the sea,"
Cruising down along the coast of the High Barbaree.
"Your ship shall be your coffin and your grave shall be the sea,"
Blow high, blow low, for slow sail-ed we.
"This your ship shall be your coffin and your grave shall shall be the sea,"
Cruising down along the coast of the High Barbaree.