The sun came up on the Spanish sea Our homeland far behind us Being junted by the King's Navy It's sure he'd never find us Pull away, me lads o' the Cardiff Rose And hoist the Jolly Roger
We brought her into the looward wind And made for the Caribbean For thoughts of what it might have been Destroys a human bein'
But thoughts about the Spaniards' gold And learnin' to desire it Can make a man so brash and bold He'll soon become a pirate Pull away, me lads o' the Cardiff Rose And hoist the Jolly Roger
Now a gleam came into the Captain's eyes As he spied an English clipper 'She looks the perfect shape and size Let's all aboard and strip her'
We fired a shot across her bow And eased ourselves beside her With our keels as close as she'd allow We swung from the deck to ride her Pull away, me lads o' the Cardiff Rose And hoist the Jolly Roger
Up she stumbles and starts to pitch And signals for assistance We tightened our hold another hitch And ended her resistance
Now there's many a day on the Spanish sea I served aboard that raider But we never did nothing more beautifully Than the way that we belayed her Pull away, me lads o' the Cardiff Rose And hoist the Jolly Roger
Her hold was hot as St.Elmo's fire Her chests were filled with treasure We took as much as we'd require Then took more for our pleasure
Now there's many a day on the Spanish Main But none I hold so dear As the happy day I first became A scurvy buccaneer Pull away, me lads o' the Cardiff Rose And hoist the Jolly Roger