Press Gang (I), The

DESCRIPTION: The singer meets a press gang in London who ask if he'd join the fleet. He agrees after they tell "shocking lies" to him about life on board. Once on board he is flogged. He had run away from his wife but now would be happy not to go to sea again.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1915 (ENMacCollSeeger02)
KEYWORDS: sea ship ordeal sailor pressgang lie abuse
FOUND IN: Britain(England(West))
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Reeves/Sharp-TheIdiomOfThePeople 62, "Man of War" (1 text)
DT, PRSSGANG

Roud #662
RECORDINGS:
Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger, "The Press Gang" (on ENMacCollSeeger02)
File: RcTPrGan

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography

The Ballad Index Copyright 2023 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.