I need a pirate song.

August 5, 2006 3:34 AM

I need a rousing pirate song, preferably downloadable through the iTunes store. For my mom, who just had cataract surgery and will be wearing an eye patch when we are throwing a surprise party for her.

(Not too dirty, please. This is for the family. )

posted by bchaplin to Media & Arts (42 answers total)

It's completely wrong, but I can't help think of the pirate song (2.6MB MP3) from Monkey Island 3.
posted by chrismear at 3:39 AM on August 5, 2006

The You are a pirate song from Lazytown is short, but it's hideously catchy, and - this seems key - it says "You are a pirate" about a thousand times. There's an mp3 here, or, if you personally don't want to be a pirate, itms does in fact have it.
posted by Wolfdog at 3:54 AM on August 5, 2006

not just Pirates, but Drunken Sailors... Check out the band Great Big Sea on iTunes. Sea chanties and traditional maritime music updated... Arrgh!
posted by Gungho at 4:06 AM on August 5, 2006

The Toucan Pirates do a version of "A Pirate's Life for Me" which is available through the iTunes store. I haven't heard this particular version (and I confess I've never heard of this band until about three minutes ago), but it's a very family-friendly pirate song, with lots of "yo-ho-ho"-ing and the like.
posted by bunglin jones at 4:35 AM on August 5, 2006

Oh, and I ought to mention that "A Pirate's Life For Me" is a Disney-commissioned number, so it's HEAVY on the family-friendliness.
posted by bunglin jones at 4:40 AM on August 5, 2006

Mad Caddies - Weird Beard.
posted by duende at 4:44 AM on August 5, 2006

You definitely need a famous song from Pirates of Penzance:
"Oh, better far to live and die" (chorus: For I am a Pirate King!
Hurrah hurrah for our Pirate King!) I can email you if it isn't in Itunes.
posted by CunningLinguist at 4:47 AM on August 5, 2006

Damn you CunningLinguist! Yeah, any of several songs for Penzance, but especially the Pirate King song.
posted by orthogonality at 5:17 AM on August 5, 2006

Jolly Roger from Adam And The Ants glorious Kings of the Wild Frontier!

"Hoist the-er Jolly Roger!"
posted by merocet at 5:20 AM on August 5, 2006

In fact looking at the other suggestions I see a whole Pirate compilation coming!
posted by merocet at 5:21 AM on August 5, 2006

Tanglefoot's Traighli Bay.
posted by transient at 5:44 AM on August 5, 2006

"Cadence to a Drunken Arms Deal" by Amadan - Irish, some of the best fiddling I've ever heard, and the lines:

"Well you can take your longboat
your swabbies and your lash
you can take your sailin' ship
and shove it up your ass!

Those endless nights of drinkn' rum
and chilling to the bone
give me beer and whiskey
tell me mom I'm coming home!"
posted by SpecialK at 5:45 AM on August 5, 2006

"The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" - the Reliant K version

"When You're a Professional Pirate" - from Muppet Treasure Island

No idea about iTunes availability.
posted by dagnyscott at 6:07 AM on August 5, 2006

Barrett's Privateers, a drinking standard in Canada, has a cover on itunes.
posted by cardboard at 7:12 AM on August 5, 2006

Check this out: Gore Verbinski, Johnny Depp and Hal Willner join forces with Anti Records for the August 22 release of:

Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys

Featuring Bono, Sting, Lou Reed, Nick Cave, Bryan Ferry, John C. Reilly, Richard Thompson ("Mingulay Boat Song"), Loudon Wainwright III, Rufus Wainwright, Lucinda Williams, Gavin Friday, Van Dyke Parks, etc. Here's a medley.
posted by boost ventilator at 7:19 AM on August 5, 2006

Okay, so it's not exactly 'pirate', but The Decemberists' "The Mariners's Revenge Song" has a wonderful sea-faring jig feel about it.
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 7:30 AM on August 5, 2006

"Captain Hampton and the Midget Pirates!" by The Aquabats!
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 7:46 AM on August 5, 2006

merocet beat me to the Adam & the Ants suggestion. And it's on itunes!
posted by scody at 7:53 AM on August 5, 2006

All for me grog is a fun pirate song.
posted by scottreynen at 7:55 AM on August 5, 2006

Not quite "piratey", but maybe close, is "Men" by Martin Mull and Steve Martin. Sorry, couldn't find audio.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 8:36 AM on August 5, 2006

Response by poster: Awesome suggestions! I can't wait to get home and try them out. Thanks, everyone!
posted by bchaplin at 8:36 AM on August 5, 2006

I'll have to remember this for Talk like a Pirate Day, which is coming up soon...
posted by Mr. Gunn at 8:52 AM on August 5, 2006

Here's an interesting thread.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 9:17 AM on August 5, 2006

Check out Cap'n Bogg & Salty, a real live pirate band from Portland, Oregon with tons of highly singable rousing pirate songs. Also available on iTunes!
posted by Aquaman at 10:07 AM on August 5, 2006

Is Last Saskachewan Pirate by the Arrogant Worms available? It's the most piraty song I've ever heard.

That said, don't listen to a Barrett's Privateer's cover! If you can't get a hold of Stan Rogers singing it, email me. You have to have the real thing.
posted by jb at 10:42 AM on August 5, 2006

Another vote for Mariner's Revenge Song.
posted by Medieval Maven at 11:03 AM on August 5, 2006

Seven Deadly Sins by Flogging Molly. "The moon is full, and so are we. Seven drunken pirates, we're the seven deadly sins!"

Maybe a little too rousing.
posted by milquetoast at 11:15 AM on August 5, 2006

I love this pirate song, and you can download it for free from Amazon: "A Pirates Life is Peaceful ('til Someone Cuts you Up)" by Pirate Jenny. Here's where to download:
(link)
posted by RoseovSharon at 11:20 AM on August 5, 2006

If you go with the "Pirate King" song from Penzance, you can rewrite the words. Instead of "For I am a Pirate King! Hurrah hurrah for our Pirate King!", make it "You are the Pirate Queen! Hurrah hurrah for our Pirate Queen!" and gesture towards your mom.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 11:40 AM on August 5, 2006

For I am a Pirate King (MP3 file) by Gilbert and Sullivan, from "The Pirates of Penzance".
posted by alasdair at 12:29 PM on August 5, 2006

In fact, I'm not thinking straight: this is probably better:

With Catlike Tread (G&S again)

You'll probably know the tune, too: I believe it's a university drinking song in the United States. It's traditionally done as an entrance: you can imagine the pirate band going taking a big, dramatic step on the fourth beat each time. "Tan tan ta-ra [step]". Lyrics for this (and Pirate King) are here: Pirates of Penzance (do a search for "with cat-like" to go to the song.

The middle part of the song has a Pirate handing out piratical implements: you could hand out presents, or items of note for your mom ("Here's your auto keys...")
posted by alasdair at 1:07 PM on August 5, 2006

Strongly seconding alasdair: "Catlike Tread" is perfect for this! And Sam's part* lends itself to personalization, as he notes.**
*Big nerd disclaimer: I sang this role as a boy soprano in grade school.
**O' course, the lyrics are priceless in that G&S early-camp way: "Here's your crowbar / and your centrebit, / your li-ife preserver / you may want to hit. / Your silent matches, / your dark lantern seize. / Take your file / and your skeletonic keys."
posted by rob511 at 3:01 PM on August 5, 2006

Oooooh! Ooooooh! I have a new favorite pirate song. It's "Don't Shake Hands With A One-Eyed Pirate" by Gunnar Madsen. Available on iTunes. Terrific song!
posted by agropyron at 3:58 PM on August 5, 2006

On the DIY side -- this children's book has a bunch of verses where the pirates introduce themselves... we are still singing them around my house, and my kids are teenagers now.

"I'm Abdul the Skinhead -- hip! hip!
The Golden Behind is me ship..."
posted by Methylviolet at 5:40 PM on August 5, 2006

I'm sorry - I don't have anything useful to add but I just need to say "What an outstandingly cool idea, bchaplin!" Let us know how it goes, eh?
posted by ninazer0 at 7:14 PM on August 5, 2006

My sister's fiance is in a musical group called Hog Eye Navvy that sings sea chanteys and the like. They do this great song called 'Being a Pirate', and it goes on about how you can't be a pirate with all of your parts. It's very funny. I could upload their CD onto Bearshare if you'd like.
posted by bolognius maximus at 7:34 PM on August 5, 2006

Seconding "Last Saskatchewan Pirate" by the Arrogant Worms. Very very piratey and little bit silly.
posted by raedyn at 11:12 PM on August 5, 2006

"a Cautionary Song", "Mariner's Revenge Song" and pretty much everything else The Decemberists have ever done...
posted by ab3 at 2:16 AM on August 6, 2006

Mariner's Revenge Song is awful. Please use Shanty for the Arethusa instead.
posted by ludwig_van at 10:07 AM on August 6, 2006

Response by poster: Thanks again, everyone, for all the great suggestions! I spent a lot of time sampling the songs and downloading -- should be a great addition to the party.

Let's hope mom has a sense of humor about this!
posted by bchaplin at 1:59 PM on August 6, 2006

I second Aquaman's suggestion of Cap'n Bogg and Salty. My favorite song of theirs is Scurvy.

Check out their site www.eatalime.com and you can download it there.
posted by umbú at 7:58 PM on August 6, 2006

Possibly relevant, certainly interesting: a list and discussion of rousing pirate songs from video games!
posted by Lush at 3:28 AM on September 2, 2006