Barrett's Privateers

Ohh, the year was 1778 How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now A letter of marque came from the king To the scummiest vessel I've ever seen God damn them all I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold We'd fire no gun Shed no tears Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers "Oh, Elcid Barrett,"cried the town How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now For twenty brave men all fishermen who Would make for him the Antelope's crew God damn them all I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns Shed no tears Well, I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers Oh, the Antelope's sloop was a sickening sight How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now She'd list to the ports and her sails in rags The cook in the scuppers with the shakes and the jags God damn them all I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns Shed no tears And 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 ninety-one days to Montego Bay We were pumping 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 But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers On the ninety-sixth 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 That Yankee she lay low with gold How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now She was broad and fat and loose in the stays But to catch her took us three whole days God damn them all I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold We'd fire no guns Shed no tears Well, I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers Oh, the Antelope shook and she pitched on her side How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now Oh, Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs And the main truck carried off both me legs God damn them all I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold We'd fire no gun Shed no tears Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier The last of Barrett's Privateers