Oh, the year was 1778,
 (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
 letter of marque came from the king,
 To the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen,

 God [bad word] them all!
 I was told we'd [bad word] the seas for American gold
 We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
 Now 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 for him the Antelope's crew

 God [bad word] them all!
 I was told we'd [bad word] the seas for American gold
 We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
 Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
 The last of Barrett's Privateers.

 The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight,
 (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
 She'd a list to the port and her sails in rags
 And the cook in scuppers with the staggers and the jags

 God [bad word] them all!
 I was told we'd [bad word] the seas for American gold
 We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
 Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
 The last of Barrett's Privateers.

 On the King's birthday we put to sea,
 (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
 We were 91 days to Montego Bay
 Pumping like madmen all the way

 God [bad word] them all!
 I was told we'd [bad word] the seas for American gold
 We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
 Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
 The last of Barrett's Privateers.

 On the 96th day we sailed again,
 (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
 When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight
 With our cracked four pounders we made to fight

 God [bad word] them all!
 I was told we'd [bad word] the seas for American gold
 We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
 Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
 The last of Barrett's Privateers.

 The Yankee lay low down with gold,
 (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
 She was broad and fat and loose in the stays
 But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days

 God [bad word] them all!
 I was told we'd [bad word] the seas for American gold
 We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
 Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
 The last of Barrett's Privateers.

 Then at length we stood two cables away,
 (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
 Our cracked four pounders made an awful din
 But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in

 God [bad word] them all!
 I was told we'd [bad word] the seas for American gold
 We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
 Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
 The last of Barrett's Privateers.

 The Antelope shook and pitched on her side,
 (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
 Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
 And the [bad word] carried off both me legs

 God [bad word] them all!
 I was told we'd [bad word] the seas for American gold
 We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
 Now 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 [bad word] them all!
 I was told we'd [bad word] the seas for American gold
 We'd fire no guns-shed no tears
 Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
 The last of Barrett's Privateers.