There were two lofty ships from Old England came,
Blow high, blow low, and so sailed we.
One was the Prince of Luther and the other Prince of Wales,
Cruisin' down along the coast of High Barbary.
"Aloft there, aloft," our jolly boatswain cried...
"Look ahead, look astern, look the weather, look a lee."...

"There's naught upon the stern, there is naught upon the lee...
But there's a lofty ship to windward, she's sailing fast and free."...

"Oh hail her, oh hail her," our gallant captain cried...
"Are you a man of war or privateer or merchant ship?" said he...

"I am not a man of war or privateer," said he...
"But I'm a salt sea pirate a-lookin' for my fee."...

For broadside, for broadside a long time we lay...
Until the Prince of Luther shot the pirate's mast away...

For quarter, for quarter those pirates then did cry...
But the answer that we gave them, we sunk them in their sea...

Just one of the few beauties on Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys. I don't think it needs explaining what's on this double album, but it's got a motley crew of artists, including some pretty big ones. Above is by Joseph Arthur. I only read about the album yesterday, but I went to pick it up first thing after work. Is that really such a surprise?

These are all original songs, as sung on the ships of old while working the rigging. This is why most of them have a high tempo, but a lot of them are ballads pure, yet not simple.
Here's one of the more up-tempo ones, My Son John, by John C. Reilly:

My son John was tall and slim
He had a leg for every limb
But now he's got no legs at all
For he run a race with a cannonball
With me roo rum rar, faddle diddle dar
Whack faddle liddle with me roo rum rar.

Oh were you deaf, were you blind
When you left your two fine legs behind
Or was it sailing on the sea
Lost your two fine legs right down to the knee
With me roo rum rar...

Oh I was not deaf, I was not blind
When I left my two fine legs behind
Nor was it sailing on the sea,
Lost my two fine legs right down to the knee
With me roo rum rar...

For I was tall, I was slim
And I had a leg for every limb,
But now I've got no legs at all,
They were both shot away by a cannonball.
With me roo rum rar...

Goosebumps.

One of the others worth mentioning is Sting's rendition of Blood Red Roses, one I'm sure McSmeag will appreciate:

Our boots and clothes are all in pawn
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down
It's mighty drafty 'round Cape Horn
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down

Oh, you pinks and posies
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down

But it's round Cape Horn that we must go
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down
For that is where them whalefish blow
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down

Oh, you pinks and posies
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down

My dear old mother wrote to me
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down
Oh, son, dear son come home from sea
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down

Oh, you pinks and posies
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down

Now one more pull and that will do
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down
For we're the boys to pull her through
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down

Oh, you pinks and posies
Go down, you blood red roses, Go down

I'd put more of the lyrics up, but I haven't even finished listening through the first CD - as mentioned, it's a double album, with a total of 43 songs. Also, some of the lyrics aren't fit for publication here on BZPower.

Also, if that doesn't convince you to buy the album: "Executive Producers: Johnny Depp & Gore Verbinski"
'Nuff said?

(Also, Rogue's Gallery would make an awesome blog title. Any o' ye young tars interested?)