Pirate Jenny

[JENNY]
Gentlemen, you now see me rinsing your glasses
And I'll make a fresh bed up for you
And you'll tip me a few pennies, and I'll think you very well
And you'll see me dressed in tatters in this tatty old hotel
And you cannot tell who stands before you
(spoken)
And you cannot tell who stands before you
(sung)
But one of these evenings there'll be shrieks in the harbor
And they'll ask, "Who the hell would shriek like that?"
And they'll see me give a smile across my glasses
And they'll say, "What's she got to smile about?"

And a ship with eight sails
And its fifty guns loaded
Will tie up at dusk

They say, "Get on with your glasses, my dear"
As they fish out a penny for me
And their penny is accepted, and their bed is tucked up tight
Although nobody will get much chance of sleeping tonight
And they still can't tell who I might be
(spoken)
And they still can't tell who I might be
(sung)
But one of these evenings there'll be explosions in the harbor
And they'll ask, "What's that bloody awful din?"
And they'll see me as I gaze out of the window
And they'll say, "What's caused that vicious grin?"

And the ship with eight sails
And its fifty guns loaded
Will lay siege to the town

Gentlemen, you'll find that your laughs are cut short
For the walls will be knocked down flat
And the town will be quickly razed to the ground
Just one tatty old hotel will be left standing safe and sound
And they'll ask, "Does someone special live in that?"
(spoken)
And they'll ask, "Does someone special live in that?"
(sung)
Then there'll be a lot of people milling round the hotel
Asking, "What made them leave the place alone?"
And they'll see me leave the building the next morning
And they'll say, "Don't tell us she's the one"

And the ship with eight sails
And its fifty guns loaded
Will run up its flag

And a hundred men will land in the bright noonday sun
Each hiding where the shadows cloak him
They'll look inside each doorway and seize anyone they see
And draw him in irons and present him to me
And say, "Give us the word and we'll croak him"
(spoken)
And say, "Give us the word and we'll croak him"
(sung)
In that noonday heat there'll be a hush round the harbor
As they ask which I want to die
And then
(spoken)
They'll hear me quietly answer, "The lot!"
And as the first head rolls I'll say, "Hoppla!"

(sung)
And the ship with eight sails
And its fifty guns loaded
Will sail off with me