DESCRIPTION:
Celtic Mayhem performs the old sea song "The Mermaid" (Child Ballad # 289) at the 2011 Punta Gorda Pirate Festival, filmed live on August 27th, 2011 at the Fisherman's Village in Punta Gorda, Florida.

With Ty Billings on lead vocals and guitar, Martyn Wylde on bass guitar, and Jack Stamates on violin. This was filmed outside at the Marina stage on Saturday Morning, opening day of the Pirate Festival.

For more great music by Celtic Mayhem, check out their CD album, also titled "Celtic Mayhem" available at www.cdbaby.com.

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"The Mermaid" is a old sea song, dating back to at least the mid-1700s. It has also been variously known as "Waves on the Sea", and "The Wrecked Ship". One of the oldest known variants titled "In Praise of Saylors" is thought to date back to 1630. The song is based on the Sailor's Lore that if a Mermaid is actually seen, it portends shipwreck or other disaster. Some stories hold that mermaids are actually sirens who lure ships to such disaster. However there are also popular stories of mermaids who rescue drowning sailors. I've included a variety of paintings and other mermaid images both historic and modern in the credits to reflects these various aspects of mermaid lore.

This song was published as "The Mermaid" in a famous collection of song lyrics known as "The English and Scottish Popular Ballads" that were published between 1882 and 1898, and compiled by Francis J. Child. "The Mermaid" is Ballad # 289 of what is commonly referred to as the "Child Ballads".

There are a number of variants, but the boys from Celtic Mayhem sing a version here that is fairly similar to the original.


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Here are the Lyrics to one variant of "The Mermaid" that is pretty close to what the boys sing here:

G ..................................... C ....... G
It was Friday morn when we set sail,
............... C ........ D ............... G
And we were not far from the land
.................................... G7 ....... C ............. G
When our Captain he spied a mermaid so fair
............ C ................ D .............. G
With a comb and a glass in her hand
............ C ......... D ........... G
And the ocean waves do roll
.......................................... D
And the stormy winds do blow
........ G ......... G7............ C ................. G
And we poor sailors go skipping at the top
................. C............... D ............... G
While the landlubbers lie down below, below, below!
................ C .............. D ............... G
While the landlubbers lie down below.

Then up spoke the captain of our gallant ship
And a fine old man was he!
"This sweet mermaid has warned us of our doom;
We shall sink to the bottom of the sea!"

Then up spoke the mate of our gallant ship,
And a fine-spoken man was he!
Said "I have a wife in Brooklyn by the sea,
And tonight a widow she will be!"

Then up spoke the cabin-boy of our gallant ship,
And a brave young lad was he!
Said "I have a sweetheart in Salem by the sea,
And tonight she'll be weepin' there for me!"

Then up spoke the cook of our gallant ship,
And a crazy old butcher was he!
Said "I care much more for my pots and my pans
Than I do for the bottom of the sea!"

Then three times round spun our gallant ship,
And three times round spun she;
Three times round spun our gallant ship,
And she sank to the bottom of the sea.