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The Story of Benjamin Darling Part 1 Lyrics
On a brig loaded with timber headed for the north Maine coast
They took on some rough seas.
The captain and his slave fought back the heavy waves
But they were threatening
To break her up so badly.
See two days before they left the outer banks,
And made good time up to Boston.
But just north of Essex the sky grew dark.
He missed his mark he was making and life can change so fast.
The captain had seen many a day
When the winds blew and the waters raged.
But it was just a part of the life he made for himself,
Running the coast of New England.
The ship heaved and cracked,
Threw the men on their backs as the water came rushing in
The captain fought hard yet.
He yelled against the splintering wreck,
I have done you wrong son.
And I should be forsaken for what I have done.
But Ben reached a timber to stay afloat.
He grabbed the captain's braided coat
He swam him to the nearest shore.
Dragged him up 'til he couldn't pull no more
And he left him breathin', left him breathin' dry.
The captain said in all my days I never seen anybody save
The very person who kept him enslaved.
God damn it Ben,
You should have your freedom for what you have done.
I should be forsaken for what I have done.
Somewhere off the Maine coast,
At the mouth of the New Meadows River there's a island
Where a marooned man lived out his life quietly under tied and sky.
Never forgetting when the sea rose up so high.
The captain said in all my days
I never seen anybody save
The very person who kept him enslaved.
God damn it Ben,
You should have your freedom for what you have done.
They took on some rough seas.
The captain and his slave fought back the heavy waves
But they were threatening
To break her up so badly.
And made good time up to Boston.
But just north of Essex the sky grew dark.
He missed his mark he was making and life can change so fast.
When the winds blew and the waters raged.
But it was just a part of the life he made for himself,
Running the coast of New England.
Threw the men on their backs as the water came rushing in
The captain fought hard yet.
He yelled against the splintering wreck,
I have done you wrong son.
And I should be forsaken for what I have done.
He grabbed the captain's braided coat
He swam him to the nearest shore.
Dragged him up 'til he couldn't pull no more
And he left him breathin', left him breathin' dry.
The very person who kept him enslaved.
God damn it Ben,
You should have your freedom for what you have done.
At the mouth of the New Meadows River there's a island
Where a marooned man lived out his life quietly under tied and sky.
Never forgetting when the sea rose up so high.
I never seen anybody save
The very person who kept him enslaved.
God damn it Ben,
You should have your freedom for what you have done.
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From the info blurb on PatchMusic: "A captain and his slave, Benjamin Darling, shipwreck off the coast of Maine wherein the slave saves the captain’s life. To show his gratitude, the captain frees the slave. Darling is the first black man to settle in Maine. I found this book when I was there in 1998 with “How’s Your News?” So I read his story and I found it really inspiring but I filed it away. Then, nine years later I was playing a chord progression and it brought back that story as if it had been waiting that entire time for the right music."
This song is think one of the more obivious. However it may have a more historical meeting. But its about an old sea captain who has a enslaved boy (BEN) who then saves his life when the ship is destroyed by the storm. The captain feels ashamed for keeping the boy a slave and frees him and all the while learning a lesson in the goodness of others.
http://www.maine.rr.com/04/portmag/malaga/default.asp
Thats basically the true historical story of Benjamin Darling. The verse about the island is basically where the article opens.
http://www.maine.rr.com/04/portmag/malaga/default.asp
Thats basically the true historical story of Benjamin Darling. The verse about the island is basically where the article opens.
I love this song, I did a speech on the true story of ben, and needed an extra reference, so I used this song. My teacher actually didn't mind it, thought it was interesting since the song is so clearly the story. If the song is titled Part 1, wonder if this isn't the last we'll see of Ben, eh?
Doubt it. Some bands slap that Part 1 on songs and never go back to them, but we had Sybil I and now we have Sybil II, so my guess is we'll see Ben in the next album.
"The captain said 'In all my days, I never seen anybody save the very person who kept him enslaved.'" This line is the meaning of morality. You don't do unto others others as they do unto you. You do what is best, and forget about revenge.