We Are Captain

The Crescent Moon (detail) by Montague Dawson (1895-1973)

SeaFall by Gunship Revolution

Illustrations for SeaFall for Plaid Hat Games Art by: Gunship Revolution’s Brian Valeza and Jen Santos with Ej Dela Cruz

The “Coast of High Barbaree” is a traditional ballad/sea shanty. Here’s a more typical version by the Shanty Crew, and lyrics. It’s been covered by various artists, from The Mountain Goats to Joseph Arthur (in Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys, which is a very irreverent collection of shanties, and I mean that in an absolutely good way), and it’s featured in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Normally it’s the pirates who lose the fight and drown, but in this rendition here, the pirates win. And the arrangement is pretty cool.

Pride of Bedlam - High Barbary

Look ahead, look astern, look the weather and the lee Blow high! Blow low! and so sailed we I see a wreck to windward and a lofty ship to lee A-sailing down all on the coasts of High Barbary

O are you a pirate or man o'war? cried he Blow high! Blow low! and so sailed we O yes, I am a pirate, out a-looking for my fee A-sailing down all on the coasts of High Barbary

So back up your topsails and heave your vessel to Blow high! Blow low! and so sailed we Or we will send you sinking to the bottom of the blue A-sailing down all on the coasts of High Barbary

For broadside, for broadside, they fought all on the main Blow high! Blow low! and so sailed we Until at last the pirate shot the frigate’s mast away A-sailing down all on the coasts of High Barbary

For quarter! For quarter! the frightened king’s men cried Blow high! Blow low! and so sailed we The quarter that we showed them was to sink them in the tide A-sailing down all on the coasts of High Barbary

With cutlass and gun, they fought for hours three Blow high! Blow low! and so sailed we The ship it was their coffin, and their grave it was the sea A-sailing down all on the coasts of High Barbary

⚜ inspiration for glitter wreathed girls ⚜