The Book of Pirate Songs

The considerable folklore of piracy includes songs, and here Dr. Frank, Director of the Kendall Whaling Museum and a sea-musician, introduces us to 62 of them. The lyrics of these songs, which date from before 1600 to the last half of the nineteenth century, are accompanied by musical notations, guitar chords, and explanatory notes. The notes give origins and publication histories for these songs, along with their context and what we know of the pirate histories they reflect.