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Barrett’s Privateers Lyrics by Alestorm

Back Through Time

2011

[Verse 1]
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
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 2]
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
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 3]
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 scuppers with the staggers and the jags
[Chorus]
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
[Solo]
[Verse 4]
On the King's birthday we put to sea
How I Wish I Was In Sherbrooke Now!
We were 91 days to Montego Bay
Pumping like madmen all the way
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 5]
On the 96th 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
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 6]
The Yankee lay low down with gold
How I Wish I Was In Sherbrooke Now!
She was broad and fat and loose in the stays
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days
[Chorus]
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
Ladies and gentlemen, mister Heri Joensen
[Solo]
[Verse 7]
Then 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
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 8]
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 Maintruck carried off both me legs
[Chorus]
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
[Verse 9]
So here I lay in my 23rd year
How I Wish I Was In Sherbrooke Now!
It's been 6 years since we sailed away
And I just made Halifax yesterday
[Outro]
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
Credits
Alestorm

Alestorm

About “Barrett’s Privateers” by Alestorm

Read the complete lyrics to "Barrett’s Privateers" by Alestorm from the album "Back Through Time" in 2011. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under In English, UK, Scotland.

"Barrett’s Privateers" is performed by Alestorm. from the album "Back Through Time" in 2011 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Barrett’s Privateers", explore more songs by Alestorm using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Barrett’s Privateers" is credited to Alestorm. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Barrett’s Privateers" appears on "Back Through Time" in 2011.

Visit the Alestorm artist page at /artist/alestorm for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.