Roll Alabama

Via comment by Anonymous on South African folk song commemorating the CSS Alab...

 

An English “sea shanty”, or shipboard working song, it chronicles the history of the most successful ship in the Confederate Navy, the C.S.S. Alabama.  The original author is unknown.

When the Alabama’s keel was laid

Roll, Alabama, Roll

Twas laid in the yard of Jonathan Laird

O Roll, Alabama, Roll

Twas laid in the yard of Jonathan Laird

Roll, Alabama, Roll

Twas laid in the town of Birkenhead

O Roll, Alabama, Roll

Down the Mersey way she rolled then

Roll, Alabama, Roll

Liverpool fitted her with guns and men

O Roll, Alabama, Roll

From the Western Isle she sailed forth

Roll, Alabama, Roll

To destroy the commerce of the North

O Roll, Alabama, Roll

To Cherbourg port she sailed one day

Roll, Alabama, Roll

To take her count of prize money

O Roll, Alabama, Roll

Many a sailor lad he met his doom

Roll, Alabama, Roll

When the Kearsarge it hove in view

O Roll, Alabama, Roll

Til a ball from the forward pivot that day

Roll, Alabama, Roll

Shot the Alabama’s stern away

O Roll, Alabama, Roll

Off the three mile limit in sixty-five*

Roll, Alabama, Roll

The Alabama went to her grave

O Roll, Alabama, Roll