Captain Kidd
Traditional
Released: October, 2008
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Captain Kidd History
1645 – May 23, 1701
Kidd was a Scottish sailor remembered for his trial and execution for piracy after returning from a voyage to the Indian Ocean. Some modern historians deem his piratical reputation unjust, as there is evidence that Kidd acted only as a Privateer Kidd’s fame springs largely from the sensational circumstances of his questioning before the English Parliament and the ensuing trial. His actual depredations on the high seas, whether piratical or not, were both less destructive and less lucrative than those of many other contemporary pirates and privateers.
Kidd’s Whig backers were embarrassed by his trial. Far from rewarding his loyalty, they participated in the effort to convict him by depriving him of the money and information which might have provided him with some legal defense. In particular, the two sets of French passes he had kept were missing at his trial. These passes (and others dated 1700) resurfaced in the early twentieth century, misfiled with other government papers in a London building. These passes call the extent of Kidd’s guilt into question. Along with the papers, many goods were brought from the ships and soon auctioned off as “pirate plunder.” They were never mentioned in the trial. Nevertheless, none of these items would have prevented his conviction for murdering Moore.
Captain Kidd Lyrics
CHORUS:
My name is Captain Kidd, as I sail, as I sail,
My name is Captain Kidd, as I sail.
My name is Captain Kidd, God’s laws I did forbid,
And most wickedly I did, as I sail.
My Father taught me well, as I sailed, as I sailed,
My Father taught me well, as I sailed.
Mt Father taught me well to shun the gates of Hell,
But against him I rebelled as I sailed.
He shoved a Bible in my hand, as I sailed, as I sailed,
He shoved a Bible in my hand, as I sailed,
He shoved a Bible in my hand, but I left it in the sand,
As I pulled away from land, as I sailed.
CHORUS
I murdered William Moore, as I sailed, as I sailed,
I murdered William Moore, as I sailed.
I murdered William Moore, and I left him in his gore,
As I pulled away from shore as I sailed.
And being crueler still, as I sailed, as I sailed,
And being crueler still, as I sailed.
And being crueler still, the gunner I did kill,
Oh, his precious blood did spill as I sailed.
CHORUS
To the execution dock, I must go, I must go,
To the execution dock, I must go.
To the execution dock, lay my head upon the block,
God’s laws no more I’ll mock as I sail.
So take warning, hale, and heed, as I sail, as I sail,
So take warning, hale, and heed, as I sail.
So take warning, hale, and heed, to shun bad company,
Or you’ll wind up just like me as I sail.
CHORUS
