From the recording Farewell to a Good Wind
Written after reading an historical account of a cooper from Mystic, CT who went to sea and ended up getting hung in England a s a pirate, even though he was forced to join a pirate ship crew after his ship got taken by pirates.
Lyrics
Set out from Mystic, West Indies bound
We ran from a black flag chasing us down
Our Captain surrendered when we were out run
We gave them no fight for we were out gunned
They took all we had and our ships crew was freed
But I was a cooper and the scoundrels had need
Being threatened with torture I was forced to sign on
I then was a pirate with my freedom gone
Farewell to a good wind and a fine rolling sea
To fair and foul weather I’ve known
Life tacks with no warning changing her course
Sometimes we reap what others have sown
Sometimes we reap what others have sown
They drank and they plundered I worked and I prayed
But I knew that my luck would run out one day
We were spied by a ship financed by the Crown
They caught us in shallow and we ran aground
We were taken by force and all put in chains
And sent off to trial on the banks of the Thames
Proceedings were swift, witnesses few
The outcome was certain this we all knew
To hang by the neck is a pirate’s last plight
With final words spoken at mornings first light
Some men broke down with repentance made
But I cursed the day that I learned my trade