GOLDEN VANITY
(Noel Paul Stookey / Mary Travers / Peter Yarrow)

Peter, Paul & Mary



There was a ship that sailed all on the lowland sea
And the name of the ship was the Golden Vanity
And we feared she would be taken by the Spanish enemy
As she sailed upon the lowland, lowland, lowland
Sailed upon the lowland sea.

Then up spoke our cabinboy and boldly out spoke he
And he said to our captain "What will you give to me
If I swim along the side of the Spanish enemy
And I sink her in the lowland sea?"

"Oh I will give you silver and I will give you gold
And my own fair daughter your bonny bride shall be
If you'll swim along the side of the Spanish enemy
And you'll sink her in the lowland, lowland, lowland
Sink her in the lowland sea.

Then the boy he made him ready and overboard sprang he
And he swam to the side of the Spanish enemy
With his brace and auger in her side he bored holes three
And sank he her in the lowland sea.

Then quickly he swam back to the cheering of the crew
But the captain would not heed him, his promise he did rue
And he scorned his poor entreatings when loudly he did sue
And left him in the lowland,lowland, lowland
Left him in the lowland sea.

Then the boy he turned round and he swam to the port side
And up to his messmates full bitterly he cried
"O messmates, draw me up, for I'm drifting with the tide
And I'm sinking in the lowland, lowland, lowland
Sinking in the lowland sea."

Then his messmates drew him up, but on the deck he died
And they stitched him in a hammock which was so fair and white
And they low'red him overboard, and he drifted with the tide
And he sank into the lowland, lowland, lowland
Sank into the lowland sea.

There was a ship that sailed all on the lowland sea
And the name of the ship was the Golden Vanity
And we feared she would be taken by the Spanish enemy
As she sailed upon the lowland, lowland, lowland
Sailed upon the lowland sea.

As she sailed upon the lowland, lowland, lowland
Sailed upon the lowland sea.


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NOORDZEE (Golden Vanity)
(Noel Paul Stookey / Mary Travers / Peter Yarrow / Lennaert Nijgh)

Boudewijn de Groot (The Netherlands)



Daar zeilde op de Noordzee, de Noordzee wijd en koud 
Een schip zo zwaar beladen met 's werelds ijdel goud 
Daar kwam de Spanjaard dreigen te roven onze goud 
Toen we voeren op de Noordzee, de Noordzee, de Noordzee 
Al op de Noordzee wijd en koud 

't Was onze jongste makker, een jongen sterk en koen 
Die sprak al tot de schipper: "Wat zult gij aan mij doen 
Wanneer ik wil gaan zwemmen en ginds het Spaans galjoen doen zinken 
In de Noordzee, de Noordzee, de Noordzee, al in de Noordzee zinken doen" 

"Ik zal u geven zilver, een wapen en blazoen 
Mijn eigen jonge dochter zal ik u huwen doen 
Wanneer gij wilt gaan zwemmen en ginds het Spaans galjoen doen zinken 
In de Noordzee, de Noordzee, de Noordzee, al in de Noordzee zinken doen" 

De jongen bad de hemel, sprong daarna overboord 
En heeft in 's vijands scheepswand drie gaten toen geboord 
En van de trotse Spanjaard is nimmer meer gehoord op heel de wijde Noordzee 
De Noordzee, de Noordzee, op heel de Noordzee meer gehoord 

De jongen zwom weer terug en de mannen juichten luid 
Maar onze schipper gaf hem zijn dochter niet als bruid 
Al smeekte ook de jongen: "Haal mij het water uit" 
De schipper gaf de Noordzee, de Noordzee, de Noordzee 
Gaf hem de Noordzee als zijn bruid 

De mannen redden hem toen, maar op het dek stierf hij 
Na het een, twee, drie, in Godsnaam, dreef weg met het getij 
Een koene jonge zeeheld, veel jonger nog dan wij 
En zonk toen in de Noordzee, de Noordzee, de Noordzee 
En in de Noordzee weg zonk hij 


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(Contributed by  - March 2007)