The Barbary Coasters

The other Chris Wilson song, “The Derelict” is even better – it is the “yo ho ho and a bottle of rum” pirate song.  The original song was made up by Robert Louis Stevenson for his 1883 adventure tale, Treasure Island.  Young Ewing Allison, a newspaperman of that era, wrote a full poem based on the short verse included in the novel.  Accompanied by a gritty rock band called (appropriately enough) the Barbary Coasters (also from San Francisco), the lyrics are taken from that poem and I believe include all six stanzas.  I also have the full CD by Chris Wilson that includes both songs, Back on the Barbary Coast. 

(March 2015)