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Oh, the year was 1778,
HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
A letter of marque came from the king,
To the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen.
God damn 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 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 for him the Antelope's crew.
God damn 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 Barrett's Privateers.
The Antelope sloop 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 staggers and the jags.
God damn 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 Barrett's Privateers.
On the King's birthday we put to sea,
HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
We were ninety-one days to Montego Bay,
Pumping like madmen all the way.
God damn 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 Barrett's Privateers.
On the ninety-sixth day we sailed again,
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.
God damn 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 Barrett's Privateers.
The Yankee lay low down with gold,
HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
She was broad and fat and loose in stays,
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days.
God damn 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 Barrett's Privateers.
Then at length she stood two cables away,
HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
Our cracked four-pounders made awful din,
But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in.
God damn 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 Barrett's Privateers.
The Antelope shook and pitched on her side,
HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs,
And the main truck carried off both me legs.
God damn 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 Barrett's Privateers.
Now here I lay in my twenty-third year,
HOW I WISH I WAS IN SHERBROOKE NOW!
It's been six years since we sailed away,
And I just made Halifax yesterday.
God damn 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 Barrett's Privateers.
This song parodied by Ian Robb's Garnet's Home Made Beer.
