 | Collected by W. M. Doerflinger for his Shantymen and Shantyboys (New York 1951) from an ex-seaman, Dick Maitland, who first heard it in 1885 while boatswain on the General Knox. The David Crockett was a Clipper ship built in Mystic, CT and launched in 1853. The ship made many trips from Liverpool to New York, to San Fransisco and back, a round trip taking 261 days. John Burgess was captain from 1863 to 1874, when he was lost overboard off the River Plate. Bob Dylan adapted this song for his Fare Thee Well, My Darling True.
| | Track 1 of The Wild Bird's Nest (2006) |  |
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Farewell to you, my own love,
I ‘m going far away
I’m bound for California,
But know, I'll return someday Fare thee well, my own love,
And when I return, united we’ll be
It's not leaving Liverpool that grieves me,
But darling, when I think of thee I’ve signed on a Yankee sailing ship,
Davy Crockett is her name
Burgess is the Captain of her
They say that she's a floating hell
Oh the sun is on the harbour, love,
And I wish I could remain,
For I know that it will be a long time
Before I see you again |
