Pirate Song

Though you see me now, the mere ghost of a man

I once had the heart of a lion

Commanding my ship, between many a shore

The ol' Jolly Roger a-flyin'

Mine was a name that put fear into men

And regret into plenty o' lasses

Lo, how I wish I could take back those days

As I stare at these empty beer glasses

I think of the times past when I had it all

I toyed with men's wives and their daughters

And in my pursuit of this ill-gotten wealth

I stabbed, and I slashed, and I slaughtered

And for what? (hey)

The men that I've fought

Are matched by the number of women I've bought

And for what? (hey)

I've killed and I've shot

And reddened the cold tears of children with blood

And if I could go back and make my amends

I'd make all those mistakes again

And kill every last one of those bastards, my friend

My ship was the last sight that many would see

As we narrowed the gap with our quarry

Sound of the cannons and splintering wood

Did herald our pass into glory

We seized all the bounty and scuppered the ship

Our hearts hadn't time for no wounded

I took my share and the crew got the rest

And on into port we did bound it

Life has many pleasures and we had our fill

Of food and of wenches, and beer

When we tired of the port or had drunken it dry

The time to set sail would come near

And for what? (hey)

Oh, we heed no law

The other man suffers so we can have more

And for what? (hey)

We lived every day

The noose of the hangman, a hairsbreadth away

And if I could go back and make my amends

I'd make all those mistakes again

And kill every last one of those bastards, my friend

Oh, I have seen wonders you never have dreamed

And taken my fair share, I must say

Holds full of booty, I happily seized

From crews who would not see a new day

Spanish gold came and went, and gemstones were sold

But I knew more lay on the horizon

Yet the beer was too good, and gals were too sweet

And now in my old age, it's gone

These memories were bought with the lives of good men

A price that I paid without scruple

So many so suffered, so I could get drunk

And swagger from brothel to brothel

Now for what? (hey)

It's been many years

The screams of the vanquished still ring in my ears

But for what? (hey)

I've blood on my hands

I wait for my place in the halls of the damned

And if I could go back and make my amends

I'd make all those mistakes again

I'd kill every last one o' those bastards, my friends