by John Masefield (1878 - 1967)
Captain Stratton's Fancy See original
Language: English
Oh, some are fond of red wine and some are fond of white,
And some are all for dancing by the pale moonlight:
But rum alone’s the tipple, and the heart’s delight
Of the old bold mate of Henry Morgan.
Oh, some are fond of Spanish wine and some are fond of French,
And some’ll swallow tay and stuff fit only for a wench;
But I’m for right Jamaica till I roll beneath the bench,
Says the old bold mate of Henry Morgan.
Oh, some are for the lily and some are for the rose,
But I am for the sugar cane that in Jamaica grows;
For it’s that that makes the bonny drink to warm my copper nose,
Says the old bold mate of Henry Morgan.
Oh, some are fond of fiddles and a song well sung,
And some are all for music for to lilt upon the tongue;
But mouths were made for tankards, and for sucking at the bung,
Says the old bold mate of Henry Morgan.
...
Oh, some that’s good and godly ones they hold that it’s a sin
To troll the jolly bowl around, and let the dollars spin;
But I’m for toleration and for drinking at an inn,
Says the old bold mate of Henry Morgan.
First published in Speaker, May 1903
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Mike Pearson
Composition:
- Set to music by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Captain Stratton's Fancy ", 2010, stanzas 1-4,6 [ baritone and piano ]
Text Authorship:
- by John Masefield (1878 - 1967), "Captain Stratton's Fancy", appears in Ballads and Poems, first published 1910
See other settings of this text.
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Mike Pearson
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 28
Word count: 294