He was born at the shore of Greenock in the year 1645 Ran away at the age of fourteen, to flee from his soul-killing life He signed on to sail the wild-winds But he worked down his hands and his knees He stood his test on the waters, so they said he was bred to the sea In 1697, the "Adventure..." was setting its sails With the letter of marque and reprisal, Kidd was prepared for his trail They sailed the sea with the mission, to hunt down "Tew" and "Long Ben" A serious riot was rising, so Kidd struck down one of his men And he died! Blue-blooded men they fell from grace Piranhas eating their own They sacrificed at the altar of lies So fate took its course in the ballad of William Kidd The "Adventure..." returned to her hometown, Kidd was forced to defence They charged him with looting and murder, his patrons and generous friends He'd left his crew at St. Thomas, to guard his honour from shame But the lords they lied like a trooper, not to lose their own heads in the game Blue-blooded men they fell from grace Piranhas eating their own They sacrificed at the altar of lies So fate took its course in the ballad of William Kidd The lords testified their unholy lies, to save their own heads from the gallows They sacrificed Kidd, they took him for a ride, that conspiratorial fellows They judged him and they found him guilty of piracy on the high seas Betraying men of honour, you know lie and cheat as they please A case of judicial murder caused the death of the seafaring man Slanderous bunch of liars, to hell your souls will be damned Blue-blooded men they fell from grace Piranhas eating their own They sacrificed at the altar of lies So fate took its portentous course. What a shame! In the ballad of William Kidd [Dedicated to the memory of William Kidd]