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lyrics

I served on the Charles a fair privateer but our pay it was weeks overdue
The crew’s morale was low and the captain was drunk and sadly this was nothing new
So while he slept we cut line and sailed out they called it a polite mutiny.
When he awoke we put him in a boat and began our life of piracy.
With a crew of one fifty and forty six guns we sailed to the Arabian Sea.
We found four pirate ships and enlisted their aid and each of their captains agreed
This was a route used by pilgrims and merchants when their spices and silks were all sold
If our timing was right their ships would be slow weighed down by all the silver and gold
My wicked wicked ways
And those wicked wicked days
When the blood and the gold poured down like the rain
And that wicked wicked sea
And my most wicked company
When they screamed for my head in England France and Spain
Our crews they all roared as they saw a great ship and readied as our prize drew near
With 400 rifles and forty big guns the ship felt it had nothing to fear
With our second shot the main mast was lost, they knew they had no way to run
Firing their rifles the crew swarmed the deck while quickly reloading the guns
A cannon exploded and bodies were thrown the deck covered in carnage and fire
We pulled along side and readied to board her treasure now our one desire
Standing on deck thirty slave girls were armed and dressed up to look like the crew
While down in the hold their brave captain wept for he knew that his time it was through
[CHORUS]
We fought our way down till we got to a hatch that led to the frigate’s main hold
We all stared in wonder at what we had found a sight just too great to behold
There were chests overflowing with jewelry and gems and that is just where it began
More than 1 million pounds worth of silver and gold enough to make kings of each man
The crew then embarked on an orgy of rape and plunder that lasted five days
We tortured their crew men until we had found where each secret hiding place lay
And in a cabin with walls lined in gold I found there my favorite prize
The emperor’s daughter who stared back at me with smoldering charcoal for eyes
[CHORUS]
We loaded our ships with all they could hold and left them not even a scrap
And headed then to the nearest port our hope to outrun any traps
One half ton of ivory and the ship that I loved bribed us our way onto shore
We split up the treasure and went our own ways and with pirates I sailed nevermore
I built me a palace and lived like a king, paid for with ill-gotten gold
The emperor’s daughter and my secret I kept, while I comfortably grew old
My life as a pirate was short that is true but my exploits were all known quite well
For all those of you who say that crime doesn’t pay Captain Avery…that’s me…says like hell.
[CHORUS]

credits

from Cutlass, Cannon and Curves, released September 1, 2005

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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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