THE REAL MCKENZIES LYRICS

"Barrett's Privateers"

Oh, the year was 1778, how I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!
A letter of marque come from the king,
To the scummiest vessel I'd 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
Well 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 him 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
Well 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 and her sails in rags
And the cook in 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
Well I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers.

On the king's birthday we sailed away,
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!
We were 97 days to 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
Well I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers.

On the 98th day we sailed again,
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!
With big fat american hove in sight
With 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
Well I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers.

That yankee, she lay low down with gold,
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!
She was big and fat and loose in 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
Well I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers.

Will at last 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 sail the seas for american gold
We'd fire no gun - shed no tear
Well 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!
Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
And the main trunk carried off both me legs
God damn them all!

I was told we'd sail the seas for american gold
We'd fire no gun - shed no tear
Well 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
Well 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
Well 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.

Thanks to Chuck Dangis for correcting these lyrics

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