Oh, 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'd ever seen
Goddamn 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 Barratt's privateers
Well, old Sid Barratt cried the town
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
For twenty brave men, bold fishermen who
Would make for him the Antelope's crew
Goddamn 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 Barratt's privateers
Well, the Antelope sloop 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 staggers and jags
Goddamn 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 Barratt's privateers
On the ninety-sixth day we sailed away
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
Goddamn 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 Barratt's privateers
And 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
Goddamn 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 Barratt's privateers
Now here I lie in my twenty-third year
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
It's six years since we sailed away
And I just made Halifax yesterday
Goddamn 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 Barratt's privateers
Goddamn 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 Barratt's privateers