Let’s drink, let’s fight, let’s fornicate by harbor light…
Who could resist such an invitation — served up by a winsome wench smudged with black powder?
Come all ye Frontier Partisans and listen here to me — this is what the world needs: A Swedish pirate folk band that plays music melodically inspired by traditional Celtic and Scandinavian folk music and lyrically and thematically inspired by The Sweet Trade of the 17th and early 18th Century. Performed in costume, of course.
Meet Ye Banished Privateers. More a troupe than a band, there’s 25 of these wild and wonderful people who play in various configurations at festivals in Europe. I discovered them from a video of their wild sit-in with the mighty Saor Patrol on The Gael at a festival in Germany. I am delighted, for the maritime frontier of the Spanish Main deserves such commemoration — a whiff of sulfur, the cannon’s roar, ball and blade and blood. And rum. Don’t forget the rum.
As I listen, I can’t help but think, here is another of the prolific progeny of The Pogues. The world is surpassing wonderful…
YE BANISHED PRIVATEERS takes you 300 years back in time for an imaginary journey through the harsh life at sea during the early 18th century. With songs inspired by traditional Irish and Scandinavian folk music, acting and elaborate historical clothing the privateers tell a story about the rough sailor’s life, lived on the other side of the law– and the fight against oppression and nationalism.
Together, the nearly 30 crew members take turns to go on tour and plunder, and with around a dozen sailors on stage no two shows are ever the same. The mix of rude folk and punk music invites you to dance and sing along, while the gripping ballads will make the toughest pirate heart soft.
Aye, a tale from the frontier…
Ambushed by the Yemassee
Heave away, haul away
Pinned an arrow to my knee
When hauled away to Georgia
Doctor came into my tent
Heave away, haul away
Took me leg an´off he went
Oh, haul away to Georgia
The Gael, written by Dougie MacLean for 1992’s Last of the Mohicans has become an anthem for every kind of Celtic rock/folk outfit in the world. Pirates and buxom dancers only add to its majesty.
Keith West says
Sweet!
Matthew says
Pirates have become a theme in Heavy Metal music. There’s the band Alestorm. The band Iced Earth (which does a lot of historical based songs) released this song about well banished privateers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6qp5ZDuyFs
Matthew says
Annabel is apparently not about Anne Bonny. First time I listened to it I thought so, but the facts don’t line up. Good song, though.
Saddle Tramp says
Regarding the trio in your intro. Is this the prescribed order or can one just jump in wherever they want? Each to their own I always say. Privateers. Another word for freedom. Ain’t that what we are all looking for? As Dylan said (or stole maybe) if one is to live outside the law he must be honest. Spoken like a true Pirate…
— ST