Golden Vanity
Arlo Guthrie & Pete Seeger Lyrics
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And she put out to sea
And the name of the our
Ship was the Golden Vanity
And she sailed upon the low and lonesome low
As she sailed upon the lonesome sea
We had not been out but two weeks or three
As we sailed upon the low and lonesome low
As we sailed upon the lonesome sea
The quickly up spoke our little cabin boy
Sayin', "What will you give me
If I will them destroy
If I sink 'em in the low and lonesome low
If I sink 'em in the lonesome sea?"
The man that them destroy"
Our captain then replied
"Five thousand pounds and my
Daughter for his bride
If he sink 'em in the low and lonesome low
If he sink 'em in the lonesome sea"
Then the boy he smote his
Chest and overboard jumped he
And he swum till he came
To the Turkish Revelee
As they sailed upon the low and lonesome low
As they sailed upon the lonesome sea
Now he had a little tool that
Was made for the use
And he bored three holes in
Her side all at once
And he sunk her in the low and lonesome low
And he sunk her in the lonesome sea
Then he swam back to the ship
And he beat upon the side
Sayin', "Captain, pick me up
For I'm drifting with the tide
And I'm sinking in the low and lonesome low
And I'm sinkin' in the lonesome sea"
"I will not pick you up"
The Captain then replied
"I'll shoot you, I'll drown you
I'll sink you in the tide
And I'll sink you in the
Low and lonesome low
And I'll sink you in the lonesome sea"
Then the boy he took his tool in
Our side he bored holes three
Saying, "Captain, i'll take you with me to
The bottom of the sea
And I'll sink you in the
Low and lonesome low
And I'll sink you in the lonesome sea"
And we sank into the lonesome sea
And we sank into the lonesome sea
"Golden Vanity" tells the story of a ship named the Golden Vanity that sets sail, encountering the Turkish Revelee, which is likely another ship. The lyrics describe the ship's journey upon the "low and lonesome sea," portraying a sense of solitude and vulnerability.
As the ship sails, the cabin boy speaks up, offering to destroy the Turkish Revelee in exchange for a reward. The captain agrees, offering five thousand pounds and his daughter's hand in marriage. The cabin boy then jumps overboard and swims to the Turkish Revelee, which is sailing nearby. He uses a tool to make three holes in its side, causing it to sink.
After accomplishing his task, the cabin boy returns to the Golden Vanity, seeking to be rescued. However, the captain refuses, threatening to harm the boy instead. In response, the cabin boy uses his tool to bore holes in the side of their own ship, intending to bring both the captain and himself to the bottom of the sea. The song ends with the ships sinking into the lonesome sea together.
The lyrics of "Golden Vanity" depict a tale of betrayal, sacrifice, and poetic justice. The cabin boy offers his skill and services to the captain, but when abandoned and threatened, he takes revenge by sinking their own ship. The story seems to explore themes of loyalty, greed, and the consequences of one's actions.
Overall, the song's lyrics paint a vivid picture of the perils of the sea and the unpredictability of human behavior, reminding us of the fragility of life and the potential consequences of our choices.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a lofty ship
A grand ship set sail
And she put out to sea
Embarked on a voyage
And the name of the our
The ship was called
Ship was the Golden Vanity
It was called the Golden Vanity
And she sailed upon the low and lonesome low
Sailed on the vast and lonely sea
As she sailed upon the lonesome sea
While navigating the desolate ocean
We had not been out but two weeks or three
After only a short time at sea
When we were overtaken by the Turkish Revelee
We were intercepted by the Turkish Revelee
As we sailed upon the low and lonesome low
While sailing through the vast and lonely sea
As we sailed upon the lonesome sea
As we traversed the desolate ocean
The quickly up spoke our little cabin boy
The young cabin boy spoke up swiftly
Sayin', "What will you give me
Offering, "What reward would you give me
If I will them destroy
If I were to destroy them
If I sink 'em in the low and lonesome low
Should I submerge them in the vast and lonely sea
If I sink 'em in the lonesome sea?"
If I were to sink them in the desolate ocean?"
The man that them destroy"
The captain replied
Our captain then replied
The captain then answered
"Five thousand pounds and my
"Five thousand pounds and my
Daughter for his bride
Daughter's hand in marriage
If he sink 'em in the low and lonesome low
If he were to sink them in the vast and lonely sea
If he sink 'em in the lonesome sea"
If he were to submerge them in the desolate ocean"
Then the boy he smote his
The boy struck his
Chest and overboard jumped he
Chest and then leapt overboard
And he swum till he came
He swam until he reached
To the Turkish Revelee
The Turkish Revelee
As they sailed upon the low and lonesome low
While they sailed through the vast and lonely sea
As they sailed upon the lonesome sea
While they navigated the desolate ocean
Now he had a little tool that
He possessed a small tool that
Was made for the use
Was designed for this purpose
And he bored three holes in
And he drilled three holes into
Her side all at once
The ship's side simultaneously
And he sunk her in the low and lonesome low
And he sank the ship in the vast and lonely sea
And he sunk her in the lonesome sea
And he submerged her in the desolate ocean
Then he swam back to the ship
Next, he swam back to the ship
And he beat upon the side
And he pounded on the ship's side
Sayin', "Captain, pick me up
Saying, "Captain, rescue me
For I'm drifting with the tide
Because I'm being carried away by the current
And I'm sinking in the low and lonesome low
And I'm submerging in the vast and lonely sea
And I'm sinkin' in the lonesome sea"
And I'm sinking in the desolate ocean"
"I will not pick you up"
"I will not rescue you"
The Captain then replied
The captain responded
"I'll shoot you, I'll drown you
"I'll shoot you, I'll drown you
I'll sink you in the tide
I'll make you sink beneath the waves
And I'll sink you in the
And I'll submerge you in the
Low and lonesome low
Vast and lonely sea
And I'll sink you in the lonesome sea"
And I'll drown you in the desolate ocean"
Then the boy he took his tool in
Then the boy wielded his tool
Our side he bored holes three
Into our side, he drilled three holes
Saying, "Captain, i'll take you with me to
Stating, "Captain, I'll bring you down with me to
The bottom of the sea
The depths of the ocean
And I'll sink you in the
And I'll submerge you in the
Low and lonesome low
Vast and lonely sea
And I'll sink you in the lonesome sea"
And I'll drown you in the desolate ocean"
And we sank into the lonesome sea
And we descended into the desolate ocean
And we sank into the lonesome sea
And we submerged into the desolate ocean
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Woody Guthrie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind