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Alexander the Great

by Monkey See Monkey Do

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about

Aaron has loved pirates from a young age. This song is a biographical account of one pirate’s undoing, aboard ‘The Fox’.

lyrics

It was a rainy afternoon, Alexander found his way
Upon the crew of a square-rigged ship, that was anchored in the bay
He had spent many an evening, dreaming of the sea
A life of glory and plunder, a life he could live free

He stepped a foot aboard The Fox, to live the life he’d dreamed
His cutlass skills could not be matched by any colonial fiend
With a better beard than Edward Teach, and a shot that was dead straight
He very quickly earned the name Alexander the Great

Chorus
Alex was a wicked man, feared across the sea
But if you’re holding a hand grenade, stick to drinking tea

He knew the dangers he would face, the scurvy, sword and shot
But he never knew his death would come from the perils of being bored
For a sailor stuck beneath the deck can’t do much for fun
But surround themselves in liquor and drown themselves in rum

After many a glass of rum, to pass the dragging time
The crew decided they would act a trial for Alex’s crimes
The men found Alex guilty and although it was in jest
The punishment for piracy was to hang from the neck till death

Alex in his drunken state didn’t know this was not true
He turned to one of his crew mates and ran the bastard through
He pulled the pin off a hand grenade and threw it at the judge
He relieved his neighbour of his arm with one near perfect cut

Chorus

Alex was put on trial for real and he was found guilty
To throw a grenade at the captain looks a lot like mutiny
Alex was hung from the mizzenmast as punishment for his crimes
Boredom killed that foolish man, long before his time

Chorus

credits

released July 3, 2020
Aaron Horlock, arr. Monkey See Monkey Do

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Monkey See Monkey Do Southampton, UK

Monkey See Monkey Do met in Southampton's bustling folk scene, where Aaron and Sam grew up and Helen and Matt didn't.

Combining vocals with fiddle, guitar, bodhran, clarinet and the occasional squeeze of melodeon, Monkey See Monkey Do take traditional and modern material and make it their own, drawing on a wealth of folk traditions and influences.
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