Treasure Island: 3. Little bit of rum
Jim travels to Bristol to join the crew of the Hispaniola. He is met on the quayside by a one-legged sailor called Long John Silver. When all are aboard the ship sets sail. The song is a pirate number sung by Long John Silver.
The story
...they look rather frightening to meJim assesses the crew
Three weeks later Jim arrives at Bristol. He has a note saying he must find a Mr Silver who will show him to the Squire's ship. Jim meets Silver - Long John Silver - down at the quayside and he is shocked to see that Silver has a wooden leg - he wonders if Silver could possibly be the sailor that Billy Bones asked him to look out for? But Silver's relaxed, friendly manner reassures Jim and then the two join the Squire, Dr Livesey and the others on board the Hispaniola where Jim meets the rather rough-and-ready looking crew, who are stowing all the ship's supplies below deck. Captain Smollett and Jim find the crew rather frightening, but the Squire is happy that they have all been hand-picked by Silver. Then they set sail on the 'midnight tide', bound for Treasure Island.
The main characters
| Name | Who is... |
|---|---|
| Jim Hawkins | Our hero - a 12 year old in search of adventure |
| Billy Bones | A pirate on the run - because he has the treasure map |
| Squire Trelawney | Self-appointed leader of the expedition to claim the treasure |
| Dr Livesey | A friend of Squire Trelawney - though much more sensible and dependable |
| Captain Smollett | The captain of the 'Hispaniola' - is injured by the pirates |
| Long John Silver | The notorious leader of the pirates and part of Captain Flint's original crew...but forms a bond with Jim |
| Flint | A legendary pirate...also Silver's parrot |
| Ben Gunn | Marooned on Treasure Island |
| Hands | One of the nastiest of the pirates |
In the song tutorial
| Timing | Content |
|---|---|
| 00 00 | Learning the chorus, beginning 'Little bit of rum...' repeated four times. Learning a phrase at a time, before singing the chorus all the way through. |
| 01 45 | Learning Verse 1, beginning: 'That strange looking thing...' Noting that the lyrics for Long John Silver are mostly spoken. |
| 03 57 | Learning Verse 2, beginning: 'If you pull on this rope...' which is similar to Verse 1 but ends differently. Putting the whole of Verse 2 together. |
| 06 24 | Learning Verse 3, beginning: 'We have left, we have right...' Repeating each line with the chorus - as before - and then putting the whole verse together with the chorus. |
| 09 00 | Splitting into two groups so that one group can sing the backing vocals - which is the word 'rum' repeated four times, followed by 'those who have sinned' / 'sheets to the wind'. Putting the BVs with the main tune. |
| 10 50 | Identifying how many beats in the bar there are in the song. There are 3 beats - the song is a waltz in 3/4 time - for comic effect! |
Story questions
Where is Jim at the start of the episode?
Three weeks have passed since the attack on the Admiral Benbow and Jim has come to Bristol
Who has Jim been instructed to meet?
He has been told to find a 'Mr Silver'
Why is Jim anxious at his first sight of Long John Silver?
Silver has a wooden leg...which reminds Jim that Billy Bones told him to look out for a seafarer with just one leg
What do Jim, Smollett and the Squire think of the crew?
Both Jim and Captain Smollett feel anxious about the crew...whereas the Squire describes them as 'fine chaps' and is delighted that they have been hand-picked by Long John Silver
What words does Silver's parrott - Captain Flint - like to chant?
'Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!' A 'piece of eight' was a Spanish silver coin, also known as a Spanish dollar
Resources
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Teacher's Notes
Guidance on all episodes (pdf)
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Lyrics - Little bit of rum
Download / print the lyrics (pdf)
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Music - Little bit of rum
Download / print the music (pdf)
