Ballads & Songs of Southern Michigan-songbook

A Collection of 200+ traditional songs & variations with commentaries including Lyrics & Sheet music

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318          Ballads and Songs of Michigan
129 CAPTAIN KIDD
The original broadside of this song was printed in 1701, the year of Captain Kidd's trial and execution. The song appeared in early nineteenth-century broadsides in America and m many song books. For a discussion of its history and of Captain Kidd, for references, and for a text of twenty-five stanzas see Mackenzie, pp. 278-282 For other American texts see Finger, pp. 29-32, and Hudson, pp 78-79, The present version was sung in 1934 by Mrs. Charles Muchler, Kalkaska.
i My name is Robert Kidd, as I sail, as I sail, My name is Robert Kidd, as I sail; My name is Robert Kidd, many wicked deeds I did, God's law I did forbid, as I sail
2    My mother taught me well, as I sail, as I sail, My mother taught me well, as I sail;
My mother taught me well to shun the gates of hell, And read my Bible well, as I sail.
3    She placed a Bible in my hand, as I sail, as I sail, She placed a Bible in my hand, as I sail;
She placed a Bible in my hand; I sunk it in the sand Before I left the strand, as I sail.
4    I murdered William Moore, as I sail, as I sail, I murdered William Moore, as I sail;
I murdered William Moore and left him in his gore Not many leagues from shore, as I sail.