Barrett’s Privateers

Oh, the year was 1778
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
Well 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 tear
But 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 up for the Antelope's crew
God damn them all! I was told
We'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers

Now the Antelope she was a sickening sight
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
She'd a list to the port and her sails in rags
And 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 gun, shed no tear
But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers

And on the King's birthday we sailed away
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
We were 97 days from Montego Bay
We were pumping like madmen all the way
God damn them all! I was told
We'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers

And on the 98th day we sailed again
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
With a big fat American hove in sight
Our cracked four pounders made to fight
God damn them all! I was told
We'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
But 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 big and fat and loose at the stays
And 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 gun, shed no tear
But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers

Well at last we stood two cables away
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
Well our cracked four pounders made an awful din
But an American ball come staved us in
God damn them all! I was told
We'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers

Now the Antelope shook and she pitched on her side
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
Well Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
And the main truck took off both my legs
God damn them all! I was told
We'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
But 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
Well it's been 6 years since we sailed away
And I just made Halifax yesterday
God damn them all! I was told
We'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers
God damn them all! I was told
We'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
And you'll never find a better man far or near
I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's Privateers