SAILOR SONGS


Main Content


The Pirate Song

Traditional:

courtesy of www.SailorSongs.com


My boat's by the tower, and my bark's on the bay,
And both must be gone at the dawn of the day.
The moon's in her shroud, and to light thee afar
On the deck of the daring's a lovelighted star.
So wake, lady wake, I am waiting for thee,
Oh, this night or never my bride thou shalt be,
So wake, lady wake, I am waiting for thee,
Oh, this night or never my bride thou shalt be,

So forgive me my rough mood unaccustomed to sue
I woo not, perhaps, as your landlubbers do.
My voice is attuned to the sound of the gun
That startles the deep when the combat's begun.
So wake, lady wake, I am waiting for thee,
Oh, this night or never my bride thou shalt be,
So wake, lady wake, I am waiting for thee,
Oh, this night or never my bride thou shalt be,

The Frenchman and Don will flee from our path,
And the Englishmen cower below at our wrath,
And our sails shall be gilt in the gold of the day,
And the sea robins sing as we roll on our way.
So wake, lady wake, I am waiting for thee, 
Oh, this night or never my bride thou shalt be,
So wake, lady wake, I am waiting for thee,   
Oh, this night or never my bride thou shalt be,

A hundred shall serve - the best of the brave,
And the chief of a thousand shall kneel as thy slave,
And thou shalt reign queen, and thy empire shall last
Till the black flag by inches, is torn from the mast.
So wake, lady wake, I am waiting for thee,
Oh, this night or never my bride thou shalt be,
So wake, lady wake, I am waiting for thee,
Oh, this night or never my bride thou shalt be,



The author of this website has put a lot of time and effort into gathering the greatest collection of sea shanties for the world to enjoy - There are songs that have been to sung to a job of work at sea for many, many years and collecting them has been a great endeavour. - Roger Chartier has made the effort out of his own interest and the requests that he has gotten to do this work from fellow musicians who wanted a good source of sea shanties to draw on and learn from. He has been told that for this effort he is a remarkable man.