The Flying Cloud Songtext
von Dan Milner

My name is Arthur Holleran, as you may understand
I was born ten miles from Dublin town, down by the salt sea strand
When I was young and comely, sure, the fortune on me shone
My parents reared me tenderly, I was their only son
My father he rose up one day and with him I did go
He bound me as a butcher′s boy to Pearson of Wicklow
I wore the bloody apron there for three long years and more
Till I shipped on board of The Ocean Queen, belonging to Tramore
It was on Bermuda's sunny isle that I met with Captain Moore
He was the skipper of The Flying Cloud, the pride of Baltimore
I undertook with him on a slaving voyage to go
To the burning shores of Africa where that sugarcane do grow
It all went well until the day that we came to Africa′s shores
Five hundred of them poor slave me
Boys from their native lands we tore
They were loaded down with links of chain as we made them walk below
Just eighteen inches space was all that each man had to show
The plague it came and fever too and it killed them off like flies
We dragged their bodies on the deck and we hove them in the sea
Sure, the dead was lucky, for they'd have to weep no more


Or drag the chain nor feel the lash in Cuba forevermore
But now our money it is gone and we must go to sea once more
Still each man stayed to listen to the words of Captain Moore
"There's gold and silver to be had if with me you remain
We′ll hoist that pirate flag aloft and sweep the Spanish Main"
We all agreed but three young men who then asked us to land
Two of them were Boston boys and the third from Newfoundland
I wish to God I′d joined those men and walked with them ashore
Than to lead a wild and a reckless life, serving under Captain Moore
We ran and fought with many a ship down on the Spanish Main
We killed many a man and left his wife and children to remain
To none we showed no kindness but gave them a watery grave
For the saying of our captain was that dead men tell no tales
We ran and fought with many a ship, both frigate and liner too
Till at last the British man-of-war, The Dunmore, hove in view
She fired a shot across our bows as we sailed before the wind
Then a chain shot cut our mainmast off and we fell far behind
They beat our crew to quarters as she drew up alongside
And soon across our quarterdeck there flowed a crimson tide
We fought until they killed our captain and eighteen of our men
Then a bombshell set our ship on fire and we had to surrender then
Well, it's now to Newgate we are sent, bound down in iron chains
For the sinking and the plundering of ships on the Spanish Main
The judges found us guilty and we are condemned to die
Young men who are warning by me, take lead not such a life as I
So it′s farewell Dublin City and the girl that I adore
I'll never kiss your cheek again or squeeze your hand no more
For whiskey and bad company have made a wretch of me
Young men who are warning by me, take and shun all piracy