Oh, the year was seventeen seventy eight
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 port and her sails in rags

And a cook in the scuppers with and staggers 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 the 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 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
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 maintruck 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

So 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