Nic Jones - William Glenn

'William Glenn', from Nic Jones' album 'From the Devil to a Stranger', released in 1978.

A slightly different (and perhaps more definitive sounding) performance of this song, titled 'Captain Glenn', is included on Nic Jones' album Unearthed, released in 2001, recorded in the 70's. (I will not upload that version, because that album is available on CD).

----------------------------------------

Lyrics:

Oh it's of a ship and a ship of fame
Launched off the stocks, bound to sail the main
With one hundred and fifty brisk young men
Well picked and chosen every one
And William Glenn was the captain's name
He was a fine and a tall young man
As fine a sailor as sailed the sea
And we were sailing to New Barbary

On the first of april, then we set sail
Blessed with a fine and a prosperous gale
And we were bound for New Barbary
With all of our whole ship's company
We hadn't been sailing a league or two
Til' all of our whole ship's jovial crew
They all fell sick but 63
As we were sailing to New Barbary

One night the captain then he did dream
A voice came to him and said to him
"prepare yourself and your company
For tomorrow night you must lie with me"
This woke the captain in a terrible fright
It being the third watch of the night
And aloud for the bosun then he did call
And to him told his secrets all

"Bosun", said he, "it grieves my heart
To think I've acted a villain's part
A man I slew in Staffordshire
And all for the sake of his lady fair
And it's of the ghost of that I am afraid
That has in me such terror bred
So keep the secret within your breast
And pray to the Lord that he'll give you rest"

We hadn't been a sailing a league but three
Til' raging grew the roaring sea
There rose a tempest within the skies
Which did our seamen much surprise
And the main mast sprung by the break of day
Which made our rigging all but to give way
And did our seamen sore afright
The terrors of that fateful night

And then the bosun he did declare
That the captain he was a murderer
This so enraged the whole ship's crew
That overboard our captain threw
Our treacherous captain he being gone
Immediately there came a calm
And the winds abated and so did the sea
And we went sailing to New Barbary

And when we came to the Spanish shore
Our good little ship for to repair
The people there were amazed to see
Our dismal case and such misery
Now seamen all wherever you be
I pray you take a warning from me
As you love life won't you have care
And never go sailing with a murderer

----------------------------------------

All credit goes to Nic Jones. I only put the music and images together for promotion, so Youtube can enjoy this great artist. For more of his fantastic music, consider buying his albums to support Nic Jones (who can no longer perform). I upload some of his songs from the albums that have only been released on vinyl. These are no longer available, and as far as I know there are no plans to release them on CD. For the albums that were released on CD, see http://www.nicjones.net/shop