Karaoké Barrett's Privateers Stan Rogers

O the year was

Seventeen Seventy-Eight

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 cruise the seas for American gold

We'd fire no guns shed no tears

Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier

The last of Barrett's Privateers

O 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 cruise the seas for American gold

We'd fire no guns shed no tears

Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier

The last of Barrett's Privateers

The Antelope sloop was a sickening site

How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now

She'd 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

Now 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 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

Now 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

Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier

The last of Barrett's Privateers

Now 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

Now 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

Now 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

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 guns shed no tears

Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier

The last of Barrett's Privateers

So here I lay in my twenty-third 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

Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier

The last of Barrett's Privateers