“The Fire Ship”

Description

In naval euphemisms, a sailor meets a whore, takes her in tow, and empties his shot locker. She steals his money and clothes, and he discovers she has given him "fire down below."

Notes

Legman has extensive notes on this ballad in Randolph-Legman I. - EC

A "fireship," as the term was usually used, was a small craft set on fire and floated into a larger vessel (or fleet) to set it afire or at least force it off-course. Hence the analogy to a prostitute who spreads disease.

Most printed and recorded versions of this have been cleaned up to some extent. - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "Firelock Stile" (plot)
• cf. "The Sewing Machine" (plot)
• cf. "The Wayward Boy" (plot)
• cf. "While Hanging Around Town" (plot)
• cf. "A-Rovin'" (plot)
• cf. "Ball of Yarn" (plot)
• cf. "Boring for Oil" (plot)
• cf. "Eleventh Street Whores" (plot)
• cf. "Footprints on the Dashboard" (plot)
• cf. "The Gay Caballero" (plot)
• cf. "Root, Hog, or Die (VI -- Cowboy Bawdy variant)" (theme)

Recordings

• Guy Mitchell, "The Fire Ship" (Columbia 78-39067, 1950 -- a cleaned-up version, needless to say)
• The Weavers, "The Roving Kind" (Decca 27332, 1950; on WeaversCD1 -- another cleaned-up version)

References

1. Hugill, pp. 171-172, "The Fire Ship" (1 text, 1 tune) [AbEd, pp. 138-139]
2. Cray, pp. 68-71, "The Fire Ship" (2 texts, 1 tune)
3. Randolph-Legman I, pp. 237-239, "The Fire Ship" (1 text, 1 tune)
4. Shay-SeaSongs, pp. 205-206, "The Fire Ship" (1 text, 1 tune)
5. JHJohnson, p. 61, "The Fire Ship" (1 text)
6. Silber-FSWB, p. 26, "The Fireship" (1 text)
7. DT, FIRSHIP
8. Roud #8344
9. BI, EM068