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