The Band of Brothers: MP3s/Lyrics

• MP3 play whole song, hi-fi (broadband)
• MP3 play whole song, lo-fi (modem)

Note from Michael: Imagine my delight when genealogical research revealed I was descended from a pirate! Captain Samuel Draper (who really was the son of a preacher) was born 1680 in Yorkshire, England and died 1767 in Boston, Massachusetts.

In the midst of his buccaneering Captain Draper married a "Lady from Spain" and they had four sons. Three of their sons were named after the ports they were born in. Their son Boston is my ancestor. Although Boston did not follow his father's footsteps into pirating, he did have his own set of adventures as a private during the French and Indian War.

The pirating details in the song are as historically correct as I could manage - right square riggers were the ships of choice, etc. However, there are at least three family legends regarding the appearance of the silver buttons on Captain Draper's coat; and so, rather than flip a three-sided coin, I devised a fourth addition to the legend - emblazing them with a skull and crossbones.

Incidentally, this song holds a special place in my heart, as it was the first of my songs that I heard on my car radio, on station WALF in Alfred, NY.

I was the son of a preacher in England - a tiny little island that couldn’t hold me.

And although my father prayed every Sunday - I knew that someday a pirate I’d be.

Hi-deedle-um-di, deedle-um - shiver me timbers - Hi-deedle-um-di with a bottle of rum.

How does a young man become a pirate? How does a youth make a brave buccaneer?

Does he sign aboard one of His Majesty’s finest? Or travel the seas on a sleek privateer?

No, he must find a sloop, a right square rigger, with 6 guns on the top deck and one thousand rats below.

With twenty of the scurviest rascals the Devil has kicked out of Hades to suffer above.

Hi-deedle-um-di, deedle-um - shiver me timbers - Hi-deedle-um-di with a bottle of rum.

My name’s Captain Draper, and you can tell me by the coat that I wear with the silver buttons.

Each one’s imprinted with a Jolly Roger. Each one’s emblazed with a skull and crossbones.

Hi-deedle-um-di, deedle-um - shiver me timbers - Hi deedle-um-di with a bottle of rum!

We’re after prizes, we’re after plunder! Pieces of Eight and shiny doubloons!

We show ‘em no quarter with our Jolly Roger, then it’s walkin’ off the plank to see Davey Jones.

Hi-deedle-um-di, deedle-um - shiver me timbers - Hi-deedle-um-di with a bottle of rum!

I don’t be carin’ what you think of pirates. If it’s true we be rogues, then it’s true we be free!

All that I know is the life I have chosen - and I tell ya maties, a pirate I be.

Hi-deedle-um-di, deedle-um - shiver me timbers - Hi-deedle-um-di with a bottle of rum!

Hi-deedle-um-di, deedle-um - shiver me timbers - Hi-deedle-um-di with a bottle of rum!