The Devil's Reach

from Score by The Jolly Rogers

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lyrics

Port Royale they got Morgan,
And Carolinas they got Teach,
And in the channel of Kingston Bay
We got a ship called the Devil’s Reach.
She had forty seven cannon,
On deck they had 14 guns,
And at the wheel was Big Tom Cutter,
Who was a noble’s bastard son.
The locals all new better,
They all knew to stay away.
And if you passed and listen close,
You could have heard them say:
You should have turned back sooner
Cause the Reach it owns this bay
And you can’t out run her and you can’t outgun her
And you know you’re gonna pay!
From Brighton sailed a gunship,
And with them sailed four more.
Said, “We’re sailin’ down to Kingston bay,
Gonna settle us a score!”
The ships they were all loaded.
And they were searching for their prize.
They’d collect the bounty on the Devil’s Reach
And cut big Tom down to size.
The sun it was a setting.
When they slunk into the bay,
And in the dark felt their skin crawl,
As they heard the locals say:
[CHORUS]
Well the five ships they were ready,
Just waiting for first light.
With a single shot knew they’d been caught,
And the Reach began the fight.
It was a moonless night in august.
And darkness filled that bay.
But the cannon fire from those tall ships,
Turned that dark night into day.
Now the Reach it was surrounded.
There was surely no way out.
But who was trapped became quite clear,
When they heard Tom Cutter shout:
[CHORUS]
After dawn the Reach it broke off,
Turned slowly towards the shore.
That gun ship slipped beneath the waves,
Where it joined the other four.
Her sails were ripped and shredded,
Her mast just shards of wood,
And on that shattered, burning deck,
Big Tom Cutter stood.
He steered her toward the nearest shore,
Not sure if he’d succeed.
But there it sits this very day,
With a wooden sign that reads:
You should have turned back sooner
Cause the Reach it owns this bay
And you can’t out run her and you can’t outgun her
And you know you’re gonna pay
And you can’t out run her and you can’t outgun her
And you know you’re gonna pay!

credits

from Score, released May 5, 2020

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The Jolly Rogers Kansas City, Missouri

Pirates before pirates were cool. The Jolly Rogers were born as the Earth still cooled, waaaay back in 1991. Bringing maritime music, sea shanties, drinking and bawdy songs to audiences before pirates were all the rage, they've been a main stage act at venues across America and Europe. ... more

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