Sometimes I take traditional songs and modify them or just outright write new versions set in my Republic of Cascadia universe, where Cascadia gained independence in 1973, and a bunch of other things are different too. Despite the way things fell apart in that time in that world, it’s not dystopian – people picked things up and put them back together in new ways, like mostly, people do.

The traditional “High Barbaree” is about an encounter with a pirate ship where the pirates lose, and if you know us, you know that’s not how we roll. I was stuck on this song for a long time, despite having come up with a great zouk riff for it – until a couple of weeks ago, when I finally realised that in this version, High Barbaree isn’t the place, High Barbaree is the ship. And then the rest just came tumbling out.

I’ll be playing this at nwcMUSIC, if I can wedge in time between running all the things. XD

High Barbaree
2012 Crime and the Forces of Evil
Neighbourhood of E

Look ahead, look astern, look the weather in the lee
Blow high, blow low, and so sail we
There’s a lofty ship about us; we sail fast and free
Sailin’ down along the coast on High Barbaree

Oh are we a pirate, or man o’ war?
Blow high, blow low, and so sail we
It depends on who you’re askin’; we’ve been both before
Sailin’ down along the coast on High Barbaree
Oh if you are Alaskan, then we bring you your breads
Blow high, blow low, and so sail we
But the Californians hate us, and they’re after our heads
Singin’ down along the coast on High Barbaree

Runnin’ gun, runnin’ rum, runnin’ iron and gold
Blow high, blow low, and so sail we
And sometimes runnin’ things we don’t wanna be told
Sailing down along the coast on High Barbaree
The Douglas Fir we’re flyin’; this sea it is ours
Blow high, blow low, and so sail we
And should you try to stop us we’ll put flame to your stars
Singin’ down along the coast on High Barbaree

Oh priviteering’s rough, not much pay to be had
Blow high, blow low, and so sail we
The voyage is never ending, and the food’s pretty bad
Sailing down along the coast on high barbaree
But be a Yankee or a Dixie? Oh I’d rather be dead
Blow high, blow low, and so sail we
We’re betting all we’ve got that something better’s ahead
Singin’ down along the coast on High Barbaree
Sailing down along the coast on High Barbaree