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 had come near.

And for what? (hey)
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