Barrett's Privateers Lyrics Guitar Chords

Folk Song 4/4 Stan Rogers guitar version, also recorded by The Corries, the guitar chords [ which are suitable for playing on the mandolin ] for this version are by Marc Fahrbach. Although the characters in the song are made up,  it details what pirates got up to in the sixteenth century, first released in 1976 and written by Stan Rogers.

Oh, the (C)year was seventeen (G)seventy-(C)eight
How I wish I (F)was in (C)Sherbrooke (G)now
A (C)letter of (G)marque came (C)from the king
To the scummiest vessel I'd (G)ever (F)seen

Chorus (Repeat after each verse)
(G)God (C)damn them all, I was (F)told, 
We'd (C)cruise the (F)seas for A(C)merican (F)gold
We'd (G)fire no (C)guns, (G)shed no (F)tears
I'm a (C)broken (F)man on a (C)Halifax (F)pier
The last of Barrett's (G)Priva(C)teers

Note: the first G-chord of the chorus is not used
 in the Corries-Version

Oh, (C)Elcid Barrett (G)cried the (C)town
How I wish I (F)was in (C)Sherbrooke (G)now
For (C)twenty brave (G)men, all (C)fishermen, who
Would make for him the (G)Antelope's (F)crew

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

On the (C)King's birthday we (G)put to (C)sea
How I wish I (F)was in (C)Sherbrooke (G)now
We were (C)ninety-one (G)days to Mon(C)tego Bay
Pumping like madmen (G)all the (F)way

On the (C)ninety-sixth day we (G)sailed a(C)gain
How I wish I (F)was in (C)Sherbrooke (G)now
When a (C)bloody great (G)Yankee (C)hove in sight
With our cracked four-pounders, we (G)made to (F)fight

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

Then at (C)length we stood two (G)cables a(C)way
How I wish I (F)was in (C)Sherbrooke (G)now
Our (C)cracked four-(G)pounders made an (C)awful din
But with one fat ball the Yank (G)stove us (F)in

The (C)Antelope shook and (G)pitched on her (C)side
How I wish I (F)was in (C)Sherbrooke (G)now
 (C)Barrett was (G)smashed like a (C)bowl of eggs
And the main-truck carried off (G)both me (F)legs

So here I (C)lay in my (G)twenty-third (C)year
How I wish I (F)was in (C)Sherbrooke (G)now
It's been (C)six years (G)since we (C)sailed a-way
And I just made Halifax (G)yester(F)day

Chorus
Final Chorus (Corries’ Version):
God damn them all, I was (F)told, 
We'd (C)cruise the (F)seas for A(C)merican (F)gold
We'd (G)fire no (C)guns, (G)shed no (F)tears
Now I'm a (C)broken (F)man on a (C)Halifax (F)pier
(C)Sailed the (F)seas for many a (C)long (F)year
You’ll (C)never find a (F)better man (C)far or (F)near
I’m the last of Barrett's (G)Priva(C)teers

Here's the chords in the key of G Major.


Oh, the (G)year was seventeen (D)seventy-(G)eight
How I wish I (C)was in (G)Sherbrooke (D)now
A (G)letter of (D)marque came (G)from the king
To the scummiest vessel I'd (D)ever (C)seen

Chorus 
(D)God (G)damn them all, I was (C)told, 
We'd (G)cruise the (C)seas for A(G)merican (C)gold
We'd (D)fire no (G)guns, (D)shed no (C)tears
I'm a (G)broken (C)man on a (G)Halifax (C)pier
The last of Barrett's (D)Priva(G)teers



Oh, (G)Elcid Barrett (D)cried the (G)town
How I wish I (C)was in (G)Sherbrooke (D)now
For (G)twenty brave (D)men, all (G)fishermen, who
Would make for him the (D)Antelope's (C)crew

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

On the (G)King's birthday we (D)put to (G)sea
How I wish I (C)was in (G)Sherbrooke (D)now
We were (G)ninety-one (D)days to Mon(G)tego Bay
Pumping like madmen (D)all the (C)way

On the (G)ninety-sixth day we (D)sailed a(G)gain
How I wish I (C)was in (G)Sherbrooke (D)now
When a (G)bloody great (D)Yankee (G)hove in sight
With our cracked four-pounders, we (D)made to (C)fight

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

Then at (G)length we stood two (D)cables a(G)way
How I wish I (C)was in (G)Sherbrooke (D)now
Our (G)cracked four-(D)pounders made an (G)awful din
But with one fat ball the Yank (D)stove us (C)in

The (G)Antelope shook and (D)pitched on her (G)side
How I wish I (C)was in (G)Sherbrooke (D)now
 (G)Barrett was (D)smashed like a (G)bowl of eggs
And the main-truck carried off (D)both me (C)legs

So here I (G)lay in my (D)twenty-third (G)year
How I wish I (C)was in (G)Sherbrooke (D)now
It's been (G)six years (D)since we (G)sailed a-way
And I just made Halifax (D)yester(C)day

God damn them all, I was (C)told, 
We'd (G)cruise the (C)seas for A(G)merican (C)gold
We'd (D)fire no (G)guns, (D)shed no (C)tears
Now I'm a (G)broken (C)man on a (G)Halifax (C)pier
(G)Sailed the (C)seas for many a (G)long (C)year
You’ll (G)never find a (C)better man (G)far or (C)near
I’m the last of Barrett's (D)Priva(G)teers