Lyrics:

Oh, the year was 1778
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
When a letter of marque come from the King
To the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen

God damn them all
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
Well 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 up for the Antelope's crew

God damn them all
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
Well I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers

Now the Antelope she 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 shakes and the jags

God damn them all
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
Well I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers

And on the King's birthday we sail away
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
We were 97 days to Montego Bay
Pumping like madmen all the way

God damn them all
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
Well I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers

On the 98th day we sailed again
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
When big fat American hove in sight
With our cracked four pounders, made to fight

God damn them all
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
Well I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers

That Yankee she lay low with gold
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
She was big and fat and loose at the stays
But to catch her took us 3 whole days

God damn them all
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
Well I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers

Well at last we stood two cables away
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
Our cracked four pounders made an awful din
But with an American ball come staved us in

God damn them all
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
Well I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers

Now the antelope shook and she pitched on her side
How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
Well Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
And the main truck took off both my legs

God damn them all
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
Well I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers

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

God damn them all
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
Well I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers

How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now
I was told we'd sail the seas for American gold
We'd fire no gun, shed no tear
Well I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
And you'll never find a better man far or near
I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
The last of Barrett's privateers