Em                     D
A hundred days at sea, A wretch away from misery
C                                     D     Em
Rummies and rats and tarry jacks my only family 
Em                        D
The island of salvation Is still a scream away
D        Em                     A                                  Em
As the lungs of the night Blow out the light my heart kneels Down to pray


[Chorus]
Em                         D
Lord why did you take her She meant so much to me
Em                         Bm                        Em
Now I'm a wretched soul on a privateer Drowning out at sea
Em                       D
I'm killing and I'm drinking My blue heart to black
        G                              C                Em
But I swear oh lord I'll never sin again If you bring her back


[Verse 2]
Em                     D
The Gypsy was a siren, Dripping with desire
      C                            D                 Em
Her moonlit hair and skin so fair as warm as frozen fire
Em                                D
She had the loyalty of a cat, behind those pale green eyes
         Em          A             D                   Em
Through her cherry lips, the devil slipped a thousand lies
Em                              D
A clan of rogues and vagabonds, occupied her head
         Em                  C                    D                Em
That thieving band took her pale white hand and stole her from my bed
Em                                         D
And like a ghost ship in the night, She drifted out once more
     A                    Bm             Em
To land upon the sand of another lover's shore


[Chorus]
Em                         D
Lord why did you take her She meant so much to me
Em                         Bm                        Em
Now I'm a wretched soul on a privateer Drowning out at sea
Em                         D
I'm killing and I'm drinking My blue heart to black
        G                              C                Em
But I swear oh lord I'll never sin again If you bring her back


[Verse 3]
Em                                      D
In my sleeping mind she sings a sad and lonely lullaby
C                                          D              Em
When I wake there's just the ache it will haunt me till I die
Em                         D
When those winds of vanity no longer blow her west
Em                     A                          D               Em
I pray they'll guide her home [across the foam] and put my heart to rest
Em                               D
Press gang filled this Man-o-War To make the black mouthed cannon roar
Em                  C                   D             Em
Now all my trade is ball and blade, and blood forever more
Em                                   D
And the sting of salt and spray, the ocean's howl and squall
A                                          Bm               Em
A stumbling wreck, I roam the deck, at the devil's beck and call
Bm                    Em
At the devil's beck and call

[Chorus]
Em                         D
Lord why did you take her She meant so much to me
Em                         Bm                        Em
Now I'm a wretched soul on a privateer Drowning out at sea
Em                       D
I'm killing and I'm drinking My blue heart to black
        G                              C                Em
But I swear oh lord I'll never sin again If you bring her back