Corries

Barretts Privateers

Corries


Tom: G

          G        C         Am      G
Well, the year was Seventeen Seventy Eight
   G      C      G          Am7
(I wish I was in Edinburgh now!)
          G        D          G             Em
When the letter of marque was sent frae the king
       G         Am         Em   C
To the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen

[Chorus]
    G
God damn them all!
      C          G       C         G        C
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
     G                    C/G
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
          G      C        G       C
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
            Am        D     G
The last of Barrett's Privateers

[Verse 2]
     G        C       Am        G
Twas then Sid Barrett cried the town
   G      C      G          Am7
(I wish I was in Edinburgh now!)
    G      D       G         Em
For twenty men all fishermen who
      G        Am      Em         C
Would make for him the Antelope's crew

[Chorus]
    G
God damn them all!
      C          G       C         G        C
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
     G                    C/G
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
          G      C        G       C
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
            Am        D     G
The last of Barrett's Privateers

[Verse 3]
    G        C           Am        G
The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight,
   G      C      G          Am7
(I wish I was in Edinburgh now!)
       G       D            G        Em
With a list to port and her sails in rags
        G       Am                Em               C
And the cook in scuppers with the staggers and the jags

[Chorus]
    G
God damn them all!
      C          G       C         G        C
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
     G                    C/G
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
          G      C        G       C
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
            Am        D     G
The last of Barrett's Privateers

[Verse 4]
       G           C      Am     G
On the King's birthday we sailed away,
   G      C      G          Am7
(I wish I was in Edinburgh now!)
       G         D      G       Em
When a great big Yankee hove in sight
         G       Am               Em      C
With our cracked four pounders we made to fight

[Chorus]
    G
God damn them all!
      C          G       C         G        C
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
     G                    C/G
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
          G      C        G       C
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
            Am        D     G
The last of Barrett's Privateers

[Verse 5]
          G        C         Am      G
The Yankee lay low down with gold
   G      C      G          Am7
(I wish I was in Edinburgh now!)
        G       D       G            Em
She was low and fat and loose in the stays
       G                  Am       Em        C
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days

[Chorus]
    G
God damn them all!
      C          G       C         G        C
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
     G                    C/G
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
          G      C        G       C
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
            Am        D     G
The last of Barrett's Privateers

[Verse 6]
          G        C         Am      G
Then at length we stood two cables away
   G      C      G          Am7
(I wish I was in Edinburgh now!)
    G            D                G     Em
Our cracked four pounders made an awful din
         G       Am       Em           C
But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in

[Chorus]
    G
God damn them all!
      C          G       C         G        C
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
     G                    C/G
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
          G      C        G       C
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
            Am        D     G
The last of Barrett's Privateers

[Verse 7]
    G        C         Am             G
The Antelope shook and pitched on her side
   G      C      G          Am7
(I wish I was in Edinburgh now!)
G            D             G       Em
Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
         G        Am        Em      C
And the Maintruck took away both ma legs

[Chorus]
    G
God damn them all!
      C          G       C         G        C
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
     G                    C/G
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
          G      C        G       C
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
            Am        D     G
The last of Barrett's Privateers

[Verse 8]
          G        C         Am      G
So here I lay in my 23rd year
   G      C      G          Am7
(I wish I was in Edinburgh now!)
G       D        G       Em
6 years since we sailed away
      G         Am      Em    C
And I just made Halifax yesterday

[Chorus]
    G
God damn them all!
      C          G       C         G        C
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
     G                    C/G
We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
          G      C        G       C
Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
            Am        D     G
The last of Barrett's Privateers