BALLAD INDEX
Roud 122, Child 286
The Golden Vanity / The Golden Willow Tree / Merry Golden Tree is a ship out at sea when they come across an enemy ship (this song adapts with the singer so the enemy ship changes nationalities depending on the time and place of the singer, so French, Spanish, Turkish ((probably pirates!!)), or English) and the captain calls out the danger. A little cabin boy offers to sink the other ship but negotiates with the captain to ask what he will get as reward for a successful mission. The reward changes, but often its a sum of money, some land, and a promise to wed captains daughter. Our brave cabin boy swims over to the enemy ship and bores a hole in it with an auger: “He had a little tool, made for the use / He bored nine holes in her hull all at once” (everyones favorite line).
He successfully sinks the enemy ship and swims back to to his captain. He calls up to his crewmates and captain to help pull him up from the water.
Depending on the versions here are some of the outcomes:
- the captain refuses to pick him up, threatens to shoot and stab him, and leaves him to sink in the lonesome sea! (Crooked Still’s version)
- the crew pulls him up but the captain refuses to give him the reward and he dies on deck!
sometimes he threatens to sink his ship as well, but often dies before accomplishing this!
- he sinks both ships and is later rescued, thus able to pass the story along (like the Jake Xerxes Fussel)
There are hundreds of versions of this song, it’s quite a popular one. One essay I read about it comments that the critique of class and alliances with the cabin boy made it popular amongst people.
About the Ballad:
English sea shanty, travels to the Americas. Many many versions, people love this song!
Amazing banjo picking! The first version of this song that I had a relationship with.
Grandpa John and Uncle Mike’s performing the verison from the Carter Family. In this version our cabin boy sinks with the pirate ship.
Slow & beautiful