Barretts Privateers

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Well, the year was Seventeen Seventy Eight
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(I wish I was in Edinburgh now!)
          G        D          G             Em
When the letter of marque was sent frae the king
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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
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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]
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Twas then Sid Barrett cried the town
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(I wish I was in Edinburgh now!)
    G      D       G         Em
For twenty men all fishermen who
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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]
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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]
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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
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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]
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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
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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]
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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]
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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
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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]
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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