Name: White Lion
Duration: P00H04M00S
Description: A White sea captain recounts his journey across the Atlantic with a cargo of enslaved Africans. Dig deeper at stage.originsofwhiteness.com/songs/white-lion.

White Lion

from Origins of Whiteness by Daniel Portis-Cathers

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A White sea captain recounts his journey across the Atlantic with a cargo of enslaved Africans. Dig deeper at stage.originsofwhiteness.com/songs/white-lion.

lyrics

White sails fly, snapping in the breeze
Aboard a man-o-war stolen from the Portuguese
Exotic rices, rum and spices, cargo sure to bring high prices
Winds of opportunity blow west
To New World wealth to be possessed and fortunes to be seized

A special cargo in our hold beneath the deck
A trader’s fine investment we’re paid dearly to protect
Must be 40 strong West Africans he bartered for some beads and guns
We snatch them from their wives and sons
And shoot them when they try to run, like animals so when we’re done

They learn to stop the running, hiding
Fear the jumping, drowning, dying
They can’t die here, they’ll die alone
They will go on, they can’t go home

(Sea Song)
Spanish ship, come down the river
Now pull, boys, pull
Gotta be gold that she got with her
Now pull, boys, pull
Spanish ship, deep in the water
Now pull, boys, pull

Land ahead, be ready on the starboard side
Jamestown harbor isn’t too much farther
Steady on the waves, we’ll ride the breakers
They can take us till we reach the beach
Dodge the reef, then slide around
Stand your ground. Keep the rudder in the water
It’ll be like cuttin’ butter when it’s hot.
Give it what you’ve got. We can make ‘er
Drop the sails. Cast the anchor!

Scorching sun, August heat
We drag the cargo from the darkness of the keep
The bos’n ascertains which battered baggage has survived
He’ll curse to find just 20-odd Black Africans alive
We drive them to the shore.
Next time there will be more
There will be more…

credits

from Origins of Whiteness, released February 19, 2023
All voices and instruments - DPC

license

about

Deep_Sea_Music Portland, Oregon

Composer/producer Daniel Portis-Cathers draws from world class talent to produce music for film, television and the web. He has operated Deep Sea Music, Inc. since 1984.