The Complete Dave's Angles - Folk lyrics at the Garden Sessions

Barrat's Privateers
Stan Rogers

		Summary: It's 1778 and a boy of 17 is called on to join the ships with the promise of a simple life and lots of Yankee gold. He goes any way and sails around for 4 months untill one day they see a Yankee ship full of the fabled Yankee gold. They give chase but their boat is a desaster and when they do catch up the get roundly beaten in the insuing fire fight. The captain is killed, the boat sinks our man loses his legs and spends the next 6 years making his way home. Moral: Don't sail ( and especially don't fight ) in dodgy ships.

Oh the year was 1778, How I wish I was in Sherbrook now, When 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 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. Well, Elcid Barret cried the town, How I wish I was in Sherbrook now, For twenty brave men, all fishermen who, Would make for him the Antelope's crew. CHORUS Oh, the Antelope's sloop was a sickening sight, How I wish I was in Sherbrook now, She'd list to the port with her sails in rags, And the cook and the scuppers with the staggers and jags. CHORUS On the king's birthday, we put to sea, How I wish I was in Sherbrook now, We were ninety-one days to Montego Bay, Pumping like mad men all the way. CHORUS On the ninety-sixth day, we sailed again, How I wish I was in Sherbrook now, When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight, With our cracked four-pounders we made to fight. CHORUS		The Yankee lay low down with gold, How I wish I was in Sherbrook now, She was was broad and fat and loose in the stays, But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days. CHORUS At length we stood two cables away, How I wish I was in Sherbrook now, Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din, But with one fat ball, the Yank stove us in. CHORUS Oh, the Antelope shook and pitched on her side, How I wish I was in Sherbrook now, Barret was smashed like a bowl of eggs, And the main trunk carried off both me legs. CHORUS Now here I lay in my twenty third year, How I wish I was in Sherbrook now, It's been six years since we sailed away, And I just made Halifax yesterday. CHORUS Additional Information: This song featured in Dave's Angle on episode 10 of the Garden Sessions FREE fortnightly internet radio show (or Podcast).