Were there pirate musicians?

Monday September 12, 2005 by First Mate McGraw

Indeed there were! Although the tattered scraps of piracy’s history leave plenty of room for imagination and embellishment, (and indeed this is part of the pirate’s charm) many scholars agree that pirates sang songs and played instruments to delight captain and crew, to encourage shipmates and to frighten the enemy in times of battle.

It is often told that musicians were the most popular members of the crew, but for all its popularity the position was difficult as well. A demanding captain could request a serenade at any time of day or night!

What kind of instruments did pirates play? Probably whatever they could steal! Trumpets, bagpipes and drums were probably common… as well as the occasional button accordion or concertina. Musicians themselves may also have been “stolen” from conquered vessels or seaside towns.

What kinds of songs did they sing? Pirates were unlikely to have sung chanties or other “work songs” as traditional sailors did. Those songs helped coordinate the work of a small crew on a large ship. Since pirate ships were usually well-staffed, and operated by their own set of rules, singing was for entertainment and battle. But perhaps there is more to the story. Pirates faced many challenges in their profession, and they may have sung other songs we’ll never hear … ballads to lament their lost careers as seaman… enchanting mermaid lullabies … battle songs touting their liberation from the tyranny of European nations … or perhaps even songs about Scurvy!

Sources: Gosse’s “History of Piracy,” No Quarter Given’s “Pirate Songbook,” and Cordingly’s “Under the Black Flag: The Romance and The Reality of Life Among the Pirates”