The Rowing Galley
Pirate Jenny Lyrics
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As when they were born
Bensing their backs
From dusk until dawn
If they're naked
Then a few drops of wine
Should keep them in tact
For towing the line
Row, row
Ranks in a file
The sick and the wretched
Brandeshing blows
The weak is the flesh, and
The salt water stings
Their ears and their eyes
They still cannot shut out
The Galleyman's cries
Row, row, row
One of the Moors,
He could barely stand it.
He hacked at his wrist
And chopped off his hand
They tied the rest,
Bloody stump to the oar.
They still made him pull
And they wipped him some more!
Row, row, row, row
The lyrics of Pirate Jenny's song "The Rowing Galley" are haunting and vivid in their description of the cruel treatment suffered by the galley slaves. The song starts with the description of how the slaves are stripped naked, similar to when they were born, and forced to work furiously from dawn until dusk. If they stop rowing, they are severely punished. These slaves are treated as though they are property that must be maintained in working condition. The next verse focuses on the physical and emotional abuse that these slaves endure while they are rowing the galley. The sound of the Galleyman's cries echoes in their ears and their eyes, and the salt water stings their wounds. These slaves work in a file, and the only thing that keeps them going is the thought of being able to stop rowing and rest.
The latter part of the song focuses on the gruesome and severe torture that these slaves suffer. One slave, unable to endure the pain anymore, hacks off his own hand. The other slaves are forced to reattach the bloody stump to the oar to continue rowing. Despite the fact that he is barely conscious, he is still forced to row, and the slaves around him are whipped more in order to keep them rowing. Overall, the lyrics to "The Rowing Galley" are a powerful indictment of the treatment that slaves have endured throughout history.
Line by Line Meaning
Strip them naked
They are stripped of everything they possess
As when they were born
They are left with nothing at all
Bensing their backs
Bent over and chained to the oars
From dusk until dawn
Rowing relentlessly without rest
If they're naked
If they are not wearing clothes
Then a few drops of wine
Then the only way to keep them going is with a few drops of wine
Should keep them intact
The wine replenishes enough to keep them rowing
For towing the line
So that they keep in line
Row, row
Row, row
Ranks in a file
Rowing in a straight line in a row
The sick and the wretched
Those who are sick and miserable
Brandeshing blows
Receiving heavy blows
The weak is the flesh, and
The body is weak and vulnerable
The salt water stings
The salt water hurts
Their ears and their eyes
They hear and see what is happening around them
They still cannot shut out
They cannot block out the noise
The Galleyman's cries
The cries of the Galleyman urging them to row
Row, row, row
Row, row, row
One of the Moors,
One of the men injured
He could barely stand it.
He could not take it anymore
He hacked at his wrist
He cut off his own wrist
And chopped off his hand
He cut his whole hand off
They tied the rest,
The others tied him to the oar
Bloody stump to the oar.
With his bloody stump tied to the oar
They still made him pull
They made him keep rowing
And they whipped him some more!
And they beat him some more!
Row, row, row, row
Row, row, row, row
Contributed by Carter C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.