And most wickedly I did as I sailed

My name is Captain Kidd, as I sailed, as I sailed
Oh my name is Captain Kid, as I sailed
My name is Captain Kidd, and God's laws I did forbid
And most wickedly I did, as I sailed

My father taught me well, as I sailed, as I sailed
Oh my father taught me well, as I sailed
My father taught me well, to shun the gates of Hell
But against him I rebelled, as I sailed

He taught me God's commands, as I sailed, as I sailed
Oh he taught me God's commands, as I sailed
He taught me God's commands, and shoved a Bible in my hands
But I left it in the sands as I sailed

I made a solemn vow, as I sailed, as I sailed
Oh I made a solemn vow, as I sailed
I made a solemn vow, to God I'd never bow
Nor myself no prayer allow, as I sailed

I murdered William Moore, as I sailed, as I sailed
Oh I murdered William Moore, as I sailed
I murdered William Moore, and I left him in his gore
Just a few short leagues from shore, as I sailed

Take warning here by me, as I sailed, as I sailed
Oh take warning here by me, as I sailed
Take warning here by me, to shun bad company
Or else wind up like me, as I sailed

To the execution dock, as I sailed, as I sailed
To the execution dock, as I sailed
To the execution dock, place my head upon the block
Now God's laws no more I'll mock, as I sailed

My name was Captain Kidd, as I sailed, as I sailed
Oh my name was Captain Kidd, as I sailed
My name was Captain Kidd, and God's laws I did forbid
And most wickedly I did, as I sailed

 - Traditional American ballad, late 18th c. This version is the song as I know and sing it; it's probably assembled from memories of a mix of the actual historical broadsheet text, the version in Rise Up Singing, and the version recorded by Great Big Sea.

William Kidd (the name appears as "Robert Kidd" in some American texts of the ballad, though most don't give a first name) was a privateer who is known to have treated his crew somewhat more brutally than the average sea captain. William Moore was Kidd's gunner, who he struck in the head with a bucket in the heat of an argument (probably over an attempted mutiny), killing him. In 1701, Kidd was executed for piracy, a charge whose truth is still a matter of debate among historians. Tradition has it that the ballad is based on Kidd's own confession; this is a myth, however, as no such confession ever existed.