Barrett's Privateers

Oh, the year was 1778 How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now A letter of mark came from the king To the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen God damn them all, I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers Well, Elcid Barrett cried the town How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now For 20 brave men, all fishermen, who Would make for him the Antelope's crew God damn them all, I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now She had a list to the port and her sails in rags And the cook in the scuppers with the staggers and jags God damn them all, I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers On the king's birthday, we put to sea How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now We were 91 days to Montego Bay Pumpin' like madmen all the way God damn them all, I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers On the 96th day, we sailed again How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight With our cracked four-pounders, we made to fight God damn them all, I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers The Yankee lay low down with gold How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now She was broad and fat and loose in stays But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days God damn them all, I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers Then at length, we stood two cables away How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din But with one fat ball, the Yank stove us in God damn them all, I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers The Antelope shook and pitched on her side How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now Well, Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs And the maintruck carried off both me legs God damn them all, I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers So here I lay in my 23rd year How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now It's been six years since we sailed away And I just made Halifax yesterday God damn them all, I was told We'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns, shed no tears I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers