Originally From: Barrie McCombs - Modified by Daniel Sadler C * G C Oh, the year was seventeen seventy-eight * F C G (*) How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now C G C * A letter of marque came from the king * * G F To the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen G C * F God damn them all, I was told, C F C F We'd cruise the seas for A-merican gold G C G F (*) We'd fire no guns, shed no tears C F C F But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier * * G C The last of Barrett's Priva-teers C * G C Well, Elcid Barrett cried the town * F C G (*) How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now C G C * For twenty brave men, all fishermen, who * * G F Would make for him the Antelope's crew G C * F God damn them all, I was told, C F C F We'd cruise the seas for A-merican gold G C G F (*) We'd fire no guns, shed no tears C F C F But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier * * G C The last of Barrett's Priva-teers C * G C The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight * F C G (*) How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now C G C * She'd a list to the port and her sails in rags * * G F And the cook in the scuppers with the staggers and jags G C * F God damn them all, I was told, C F C F We'd cruise the seas for A-merican gold G C G F (*) We'd fire no guns, shed no tears C F C F But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier * * G C The last of Barrett's Priva-teers C * G C On the King's birth-day we put to sea * F C G (*) How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now C G C * We were ninety-one days to Mon-tego Bay * * G F Pumping like madmen all the way G C * F God damn them all, I was told, C F C F We'd cruise the seas for A-merican gold G C G F (*) We'd fire no guns, shed no tears C F C F But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier * * G C The last of Barrett's Priva-teers C * G C On the ninety-sixth day we sailed a-gain * F C F (*) How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now C G C * When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight * * G C With our cracked four-pounders, we made to fight G C * F God damn them all, I was told, C F C F We'd cruise the seas for A-merican gold G C G F (*) We'd fire no guns, shed no tears C F C F But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier * * G C The last of Barrett's Priva-teers C * G C The Yankee lay low down with gold * F C G (*) How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now C G C * She was broad and fat and loose in stays * * G C But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days G C * F God damn them all, I was told, C F C F We'd cruise the seas for A-merican gold G C G F (*) We'd fire no guns, shed no tears C F C F But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier * * G C The last of Barrett's Priva-teers C * G C Then at length we stood two cables a-way * F C G (*) How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now C G C * Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din * * G C But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in G C * F God damn them all, I was told, C F C F We'd cruise the seas for A-merican gold G C G F (*) We'd fire no guns, shed no tears C F C F But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier * * G C The last of Barrett's Priva-teers C * G C The Antelope shook and pitched on her side * F C G (*) How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now C G C * Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs * * G C And the main-truck carried off both me legs G C * F God damn them all, I was told, C F C F We'd cruise the seas for A-merican gold G C G F (*) We'd fire no guns, shed no tears C F C F But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier * * G C The last of Barrett's Priva-teers C * G C So here I lay in me twenty-third year * F C G (*) How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now C G C * It's been six years since we sailed a-way * * G C And I just made Halifax yester-day G C * F God damn them all, I was told, C F C F We'd cruise the seas for A-merican gold G C G F (*) We'd fire no guns, shed no tears C F C F But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier * * G C The last of Barrett's Priva-teers SYMBOLS: - Asterisk (*) = new measure, play same chord - Period (.) = 1/8 note rest at start of a measure - Underline(_) = sustain note into next measure