Lyrics
Oh the year was seventeen-seventy-eight
How I wish I was in Shurock now
A letter of mark came from the king
To the skummiest vessel I've ever seen
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barrett's privateers
'Oh well' said Barrett, cried the town
How I wish I was in Shurock now
For twenty brave men, all fishermen new
Would make for him the Antelope's crew
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
The Antelope's sloop was a sickening sight
How I wish I was in Shurock now
She'd list to the port with her sails and rags
The cook and scuppers and staggers and jags
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
On the king's birthday we put to sea
How I wish I was in Shurock now
We were ninety-one days to Montigo Bay
A-pumpin' like madmen all the way
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
On the ninety-sixth day we sailed again
How I wish I was in Shurock now
When a bloody great Yankee hove inside
With our cracked four-pounders we made to fight
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
The Yankee laid down low with gold
How I wish I was in Shurock now
She was broad and fat and loose in the strays
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
Then at length we stood two cables away
How I wish I was in Shurock now
Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din
But with one fat baldie Yank stole the sin
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
The Antelope shook and pitched on her side
How I wish I was in Shurock now
Ol' Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
And the main truck carried off both me legs
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
So we right lay in my twenty-third year
How I wish I was in Shurock now
It's been six years since we sailed away
And I just made Halifax yesterday
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
How I wish I was in Shurock now
A letter of mark came from the king
To the skummiest vessel I've ever seen
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barrett's privateers
'Oh well' said Barrett, cried the town
How I wish I was in Shurock now
For twenty brave men, all fishermen new
Would make for him the Antelope's crew
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
The Antelope's sloop was a sickening sight
How I wish I was in Shurock now
She'd list to the port with her sails and rags
The cook and scuppers and staggers and jags
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
On the king's birthday we put to sea
How I wish I was in Shurock now
We were ninety-one days to Montigo Bay
A-pumpin' like madmen all the way
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
On the ninety-sixth day we sailed again
How I wish I was in Shurock now
When a bloody great Yankee hove inside
With our cracked four-pounders we made to fight
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
The Yankee laid down low with gold
How I wish I was in Shurock now
She was broad and fat and loose in the strays
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
Then at length we stood two cables away
How I wish I was in Shurock now
Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din
But with one fat baldie Yank stole the sin
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
The Antelope shook and pitched on her side
How I wish I was in Shurock now
Ol' Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
And the main truck carried off both me legs
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers
So we right lay in my twenty-third year
How I wish I was in Shurock now
It's been six years since we sailed away
And I just made Halifax yesterday
Oh damn them all
I was told we would 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 Barret's privateers