Brian Levison writes:

"In connection with their programmes celebrating the bicentenary of the ending of slave trading in 1807, BBC Oxford sent me a copy of a song, unusual in that it was composed by Jamaican slaves in honour of their captain, Captain Crow. It was subtitled “The Song Made by the people of Colour in Jamaica on Captn Hugh Crow.

The song was written in a patois which would be difficult for modern audiences to understand at first hearing. My brief was to retain the original first verse and to add a further seven verses of my own which would retain the flavour of the original language and also reflect the occasion of the anniversary. John Caldwell was asked to provide a setting based on the original song.

Never having heard of Captain Crow (1765-1829), I looked him up on the Internet and found that he was that rarity, a humane late eighteenth century slave trader as is clear from the words of the original song. A Manxman, he also wrote some memoirs, one the very few slave traders to do so. From my brief researches I found that the slave trade was called the black ivory trade. I also discovered that some years prior to the suppression of the slave trade, William Wilberforce had introduced a bounty of £100 payable to captains who did not lose more than a certain percentage of their human cargoes on the voyage. Captain Crow received this bounty more often than not. References to both pieces of information are included in the text.

The song tracks a voyage of Captain Crow and highlights his humanity and courage. The song was originally intended to be sung by the Oxford Gospel Choir so I wrote a rousing ending with a religious element.

Thanks to Jill Haas who helped me by playing through the music and providing one or two suggestions about the wording."

© Brian Levison, 6 Princes St, Oxford OX4 1DD
Tel: 01865-791202. Email: brian @levison.fslife.co.uk 4/4/07