Original words and music by Emma Norton
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Ching Shih,
madam of the red flag fleet
oh Ching shih
Pauper to a pirate Queen
before her empires do flee,
tyrant of the Chinese sea,
madam Ching
oh Ching shih
She was born a commoner in Guangdong,
worked in a floating brothel by the Quay,
one day she met a stocky pirate king named Cheng,
Became his bonny bride upon the sea
Ching Shih,
madam of the red flag fleet
oh Ching shih
Pauper to a pirate Queen
before her empires do flee,
tyrant of the Chinese sea,
madam Ching
oh Ching shih
The Canton pirates bickered over booty,
and a few too many captains spoiled the broth,
so the Chengs they argued for a pirate’s truce,
to raid the coast and divvy up the lot.
Ching Shih,
madam of the red flag fleet
oh Ching shih
Pauper to a pirate Queen
before her empires do flee,
tyrant of the Chinese sea,
madam Ching
oh Ching shih
they plundered and they pillaged Southern China,
took prisoners and ransomed off the rich,
One young captive boy the Chengs took in one day,
The king and queen now had a pirate prince
Ching Shih,
madam of the red flag fleet
oh Ching shih
Pauper to a pirate Queen
before her empires do flee,
tyrant of the Chinese sea,
madam Ching
oh Ching shih
one day old Cheng died for no good reason,
so someone had to pick up all the slack,
but Cheng Shih knew just what to do she won over the entire crew,
Her son the king but She the whip to crack
Ching Shih,
madam of the red flag fleet
oh Ching shih
Pauper to a pirate Queen
before her empires do flee,
tyrant of the Chinese sea,
madam Ching
oh Ching shih
Cheng shih changed the red flag fleet forever ,
she drew up ordinances and new rules,
Loot was now communal and the penalties were brutal,
For anyone who treated women cruel
Ching Shih,
madam of the red flag fleet
oh Ching shih
Pauper to a pirate Queen
before her empires do flee,
tyrant of the Chinese sea,
madam Ching
oh Ching shih
Now it seemed noone could stop the red flag pirates,
china’s finest turned and ran away,
She broke their boats upon the reef, and killed canton’s provincial chief,
Left china’s mighty fleet in disarray.
Ching Shih,
madam of the red flag fleet
oh Ching shih
Pauper to a pirate Queen
before her empires do flee,
tyrant of the Chinese sea,
madam Ching
oh Ching shih
Now China worked with Portugal and England,
In desperation sought their rivals’ hands,
But she never was defeated, instead signed a treaty,
A truce made her a ruler on the land
Ching Shih,
madam of the red flag fleet
oh Ching shih
Pauper to a pirate Queen
before her empires do flee,
tyrant of the Chinese sea,
madam Ching
oh Ching shih
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Featured image: Dan Kelly and Emma Norton at the St Alban’s Folk Festival.
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