Sir Francis Drake was a prominent 16th-century English navigator, privateer, and explorer. Drake was born around 1540 in Tavistock, Devon, England. He was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the world, plundering Spanish ships and ports along the Pacific coast of America. He played a pivotal role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. As a privateer (authorized by Queen Elizabeth I), he attacked Spanish ships and colonies to protect English interests while enriching England. In England, Drake was celebrated as a national hero, while in Spain he was feared as a pirate and plunderer. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1581. Drake died of dysentery off the coast of Panama in 1596 during an expedition against Spanish colonies.

The concept album - the first in the "Water, Air and Earth" trilogy - by the Pixmess Music Project entitled "Hero and Pirate" contains songs inspired by and retelling the life of this famous sailor in British history.