Name: Brave Benbow
Duration: P00H02M51S
Description: This fantastically gory sea song, recounting the admiral’s heroic death in a naval battle during the war of the Spanish Succession, was collected by Anne Gilchrist in Southport from retired sailor, W Bolton. In his book, A song for every season, Bob Copper recalls his grandfather singing this to him as a lullaby!

Brave Benbow

from The Poacher's Fate by Laura Smyth & Ted Kemp

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This fantastically gory sea song, recounting the admiral’s heroic death in a naval battle during the war of the Spanish Succession, was collected by Anne Gilchrist in Southport from retired sailor, W Bolton. In his book, A song for every season, Bob Copper recalls his grandfather singing this to him as a lullaby!

lyrics

Oh come good people all
young and old, young and old
oh come good people all young and old
it's of an Admiral brave called Benow by his name
how he fought on the raging main you shall hear, you shall hear

Brave Benbow he set sail
for to fight, for to fight
Brave Benbow he set sail for to fight
Brave Benbow he set sail in a sweet and pleasant gale
but his captains they turned tail in a fright, in a fright

Says Kirby unto Wade
"I will run, I will run"
Says Kirby unto Wade "I will run"
"For I value no disgrace, even losing of my place
but the enemy I won't face nor their guns, nor their guns"

So Brave Benbow gave the signal
for to fight, for to fight
so Brave Benbow gave the signal for to fight
the ships boxed up and down and the shots they flew all around
and the men came tumbling down, there they lay, there they lay

Admiral Benbow lost his legs
by chain shot, by chain shot
Admiral Benbow lost his legs by chain shot
he down on his stumps did fall and quite bitterly he did call
"Fight on my British Tars, 'tis my lot, 'tis my lot"

While the surgeon dressed his wounds
oh he cried, oh he cried
while the surgeon dressed his wounds oh he cried
"Let my cradle now in haste, on the quarter deck be placed
that the enemy I may face 'til I'm dead, 'til I'm dead

'Twas on tuesday morning last
Benbow died, Benbow died
'twas on tuesday morning last Benbow died
'twas a shocking sight to see, Admiral Benbow carried away
he was buried in Kingston church, there he lay, there he lay.

credits

from The Poacher's Fate, released November 25, 2017
Trad. arr. Laura Smyth & Ted Kemp

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