Washburn says she never set out to be a songwriter or a recording artist. In 2005 when she found herself on stage in a smoke-filled Beijing club playing her banjo and singing old-time Appalachian mountain music in Chinese to a packed house, she was as surprised as anyone. “A daring, definite talent, whose feel for the folk idiom results in moving material. Soulful is the word,” hailed the Wall Street Journal at the time. “On stage, her voice resonated with the power of a seasoned performer and her poetic hill tunes sounded all the more evocative in Chinese.”
It was in Tennessee in 2000 that Washburn met KC Groves, one of the founding members of the band Uncle Earl, and she went on to spend five years touring with the band. In 2005, in the midst of touring with Uncle Earl, Washburn released her first solo debut, and bilingual album, Song of the Traveling Daughter, (Nettwerk). At that point Washburn joined cellist, Ben Sollee, in performing her music around the globe. In 2005 Washburn, Sollee and a few friends—Béla Fleck on banjo, Casey Driessen on fiddle- toured China and recorded as Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet. In 2006, the US State Department and the American Center for Educational Exchange requested that the group come back to lead the first official tour of a US band in Tibet.
In 2010, Washburn released "City Of Refuge".
As a member of The Wu Force, they played their first show together at the Yugong Yishan music club in Beijing in late 2011 and came back together in early 2014.
Beginning in August 2013, Washburn began performing and recording as the duo Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn with her husband Béla Fleck.
In 2020, Washburn released an album as Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn.
Captain
Abigail Washburn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh the water
Oh the water
So clear
And blue
And free
Big leg lula
Callin' me, boys
Singin' come on home
If I can just make it
Through January, February
I'll march on through, boys
I'll march on through
Oh the water
Oh the water
Oh the water
So clear
And blue
And free
I asked the foreman
What time of day was
He was so hard hearted
Just walked away
I asked the judge
What be my fine?
He said: if I don't hang you
I give you ninety-nine'
I give you ninety-nine, boys
I give you ninety-nine
If I don't hang you
Give you ninety-nine
If you wanna
Please your captain
Sink 'em low, boys
Raise 'em high
Sink 'em low, boys
Sink 'em low, boys
Sink 'em low, boys
Raise 'em high
Hail the captain!
Hail his gun!
Hail the chiefman!
And his prodigal son!
I seen him preachin'
And I seen him run
I read his Bible
I don't owe him none
I don't owe him none, boys
I don't owe him none
I'll be a witness
To the rising sun
If you wanna
Please your captain
Sink 'em low, boys
Raise 'em high
Sink 'em low, boys
Sink 'em low, boys
Sink 'em low, boys
Raise 'em high
Oh the water
Oh the water
Oh the water
So clear
And blue
And free
The song "Captain" by Abigail Washburn is rich in imagery and symbolism. The repetition of the opening line "Oh the water" sets the tone for the rest of the song, which is filled with references to water and its symbolic associations with clarity, freedom, and purity. The singer of the song feels a deep connection to the water, describing it as "clear and blue and free." The repeated use of the phrase "boys" creates a sense of camaraderie and community among those who work on the water.
The singer is haunted by the voice of "old Big Leg Lula," who calls out to him to come home. This suggests a longing for a simpler, more traditional way of life, and a desire to escape the harsh realities of the present. The references to January and February, as well as the harsh foreman and judge, further emphasize the theme of struggle and hardship.
The final repetition of "sink 'em low, boys, raise 'em high," which refers to the manipulation of the water level in order to please the captain and chiefman, creates a sense of resignation and acceptance. The singer acknowledges the power dynamics at play and suggests that in order to survive, one must learn to play along with the system.
Overall, "Captain" is a haunting and powerful song that speaks to the struggles and complexities of life on the water.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh the water
Repetition of the phrase emphasizing the importance of water in the singer's life
So clear
Describing the water being transparent and easily visible
And blue
Describing the water being of a blue color which symbolizes calmness and peace
And free
Describing the water as liberating and providing a feeling of freedom
Thought I heard old
The artist imagined listening to someone from far back
Big leg lula
Referencing a possibly blues song about a woman with big legs
Callin' me, boys
Expressing how the song is heard and targeting a male audience
Singin' come on home
Encouraging everyone listening to come back to where they belong
If I can just make it
Expressing optimism in completing a particular task
Through January, February
Referencing the beginning of the year and the hardships of winter
I'll march on through, boys
Encouraging the group to march forward and press on
I asked the foreman
Opening up about a conversation with a supervisor
What time of day was
Asking a simple question about the time
He was so hard hearted
Describing how the other person was unwilling to give an answer
Just walked away
The other person ignored the question and walked away
I asked the judge
Describing how the artist approached a legal authority
What be my fine?
Asking the judge about the punishment for a committed crime
He said: if I don't hang you
Describing how harsh the judge is
I give you ninety-nine'
The fine is set up high
I give you ninety-nine, boys
Announcing how high the fine is to the group of men listening
If I don't hang you
The judge means the fine is to be paid if he somehow escapes execution
Give you ninety-nine
Repeating the prior statement to stress how high the fine is
If you wanna
Offering a means to satisfy someone's needs
Please your captain
Encouraging the group to make their leader happy
Sink 'em low, boys
Telling the group to lower the boats
Raise 'em high
Telling the group to lift the boats
Hail the captain!
Complimenting the leader
Hail his gun!
Praising his weapon
Hail the chiefman!
Saluting the highest rank appointed among the men
And his prodigal son!
The leader's offspring is also being praised
I seen him preachin'
Talking about something that the singer witnessed
And I seen him run
Describing how the leader is dynamic and active
I read his Bible
Describing how the leader is religious
I don't owe him none
The artist doesn't owe anything to the leader although he respects him.
I don't owe him none, boys
The singer wants everyone to acknowledge how much he respects the leader, even though he doesn't owe him anything
I'll be a witness
Declaring that he will testify about something he knows
To the rising sun
Talking about how he will tell this testimony until the sun rises
Oh the water
Reiterating the first lines of the song
So clear
Reiterating the clarity of the water
And blue
Reiterating the blue color of the water
And free
Reiterating the last lines of the song, which describe the water's liberating qualities.
Contributed by Brayden H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Morgs M
This is such beautiful and complex music. I love it!
JD Benedict
Thanks again, Pandora! Love this song!