"X Marks the Spot" Lyrics!

- All songs copyright 2003 by The Jolly Rogers - 

A quick note:

The Jolly Rogers' previous recordings have been largely based upon traditional music.  "X Marks the Spot" represents an important new direction for the group in that every song on the album is original to the group.  As such, we put a lot of hard work into making these songs and this album something that we are all very proud of.

Therefore, we would like to ask that you respect our songs and our work by respecting our copyright.

Thank you.

I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be a Pirate too.

I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be a Pirate too.  

Lived on the land lived by the shore dad stuck around till he got bored

Looked to the sky, looked to the sea, shouted to the waves, now can't you see

I’m just a lad, I’m all alone my mother’s gone, and I’ve got no home

I’ll grab my gear and head to town so the whole damn wharf can hear my sound  

I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be a Pirate too.  

Looked about for a seaside bar and didn’t have to look to far

Went right in and the press gang grinned, so I stepped right up and said count me in

The foreman said well bless my soul, I’ve never seen one so bold

Said have a drink and grab your gear we sail with the tide so hit the pier  

I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be a Pirate too.  

Now we saw her clear all fat and slow, laden full and sitting low

With a Spanish flag her tale was told, she’s bound for home with western gold

We’ll take her down and strip her bones, we’ll send her crew to Davey Jones

So man your guns boys man them well and on my mark we’ll unleash hell  

I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be a Pirate too.  

We took her hard we took her gold, we used her prize to fill our hold

We turned south to Montigo Bay, with a final shot we were on our way

We laughed and sang and broke rum out, but we froze with the lookout’s shout

Two Spanish ships both men-of-war, lying in wait between us and shore  

I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be a Pirate too.  

Their cannons blazed and the mast was gone, we knew it would not be long

They stormed the ship and sabers flew, but we rallied back cause we all knew

The fight went on though we were lost, we got our gold but at what cost

I saw him there, I pulled my blade the Spaniard smiled and so I said  

I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be a Pirate too.  

I saw the thrust and felt the pain, I saw my life begin to wan

With a final blow I struck his head, but I knew that soon we’d both be dead

We lay there upon the deck as I thought about my own doomed trek

I heard a voice from next to me sing in Spanish now can’t you see that  

I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be a Pirate too.  

You listen hard, you listen well there are so many tales to tell

Beyond the sea, beyond the waves, you’ll hear them all beyond the graves sing  

I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be a Pirate too.

I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be I wanna be, I wanna be a Pirate too.

Hiding in the jungle in the dregs of night.

Steel blades glinting in the pre-dawn light.

Citizens all lying innocent in bed,

With all the garrison guards lying dead.

The signals given that all is clear.

Our ships come round full of bold buccaneers.

We fire a volley to the heart of the town,

We’ll own Panama before the sun goes down.

            When word went up we answered the call

            Heartless bastards one and all

            There is no safe place in the lands of Spain

            We’ll take the ships and we’ll own the main.

            We are the ones that they fear the most

            The Brotherhood, Brotherhood, Brotherhood of the Coast.

Flintlocks loaded, daggers in our teeth

Blood glistens bright red on the dirty street.

To fire and death the whole town awoke,

Ears ringing from the blasts, eyes burn with smoke

We stormed into the town like God’s own wrath

And rounded up those people for a fine bloodbath

Then in the church we locked one and all

And turned to the town to make a great haul.

            [CHORUS]

We sacked that town for thirty-six days.

When the Brotherhood visits, everyone pays.

We took all their gold and their gems and their cash

And tortured the locals for their pers’nal stash.

As we left that town ‘twas a beautiful sight:

Hundreds of dead with barely a fight.

To make sure the Spanish remembered our name

We lit up that church and we left as we came.

            [CHORUS]

As we left the harbor and sailed for the blue,

A great southbound galleon came into our view

That old Spanish flag made our pirate blood boil

And we swore they never would reach Spanish soil.

Their treasure was tempting, but we didn’t try,

We just fired our guns and laughed as they died.

Our thirty-two ships they could carry no more,

We buggered those Spaniards on sea and on shore.

           [CHORUS]

            Sign aboard now if you’ve got the heart

            But know what you’re in for before we start

            We’re going for breadfruit and tropical spice

            But how we get there should make you think twice

            You’ll know the terrors you hoped were just tales

            Going round the Horn

            You’ll live on rancid meat and bread that’s gone stale

            Going round the Horn/Going round the Horn

            When we arrive you will be shocked to see

            Lovely young native girls and they are free

            The men they are friendly, the weather is warm

            To get there the captain’s going South round the Horn.

            The wind is so fierce it could sure shred the sail

            Going round the Horn

            The true hellish home of Ahab’s white whale

            Going round the Horn/Going round the Horn

            You’ll spend your days lounging under a palm

            Watching the sea and the sea’s always calm

            But before that you will curse being born

            ‘Cause to get there we’re all going south round the Horn.

            You’re head will bleed from the barrage of hail

            Going round the Horn.

            That frozen wasteland is worse than a jail

            Going round the Horn/Going round the Horn

            The beach, the food, and the girls are so nice

            There’s a reason they all call it Cook’s Paradise

            So sign up now for the islands we’re sworn

            If we survive going south round the Horn

            You’ll meet the mother of all living Gales

            Going round the horn

            So cold it will freeze your hand to the rail

            Going round the Horn/Going round the Horn

            They’ll give us tattoos to help celebrate

            With Rum and with Grog we will all toast our fate

            So sign up boys, but still I must warn

            Dangers abound going south round the horn.

            The jagged i-ice the mists they do veil

            Going Round the horn

            But if you’ve got the heart we cannot fail

            Going round the Horn/Going round the Horn

            Going round the Horn/Going round the Horn

Lift your glasses high, me friends, and join us in our song

We will toast to all we know, so sing, yes, sing along

We will drink to those we miss and those we don’t as well

For toasting here is the excuse for us to drink like hell!

We'll sing for all those who have gone, that we'll miss every day

We'll sing to those that made us glad they finally went away

To the former we will drink to all that might have been

To the latter we’ll drink more in case they come back again

           [CHORUS]

We’ll sing for the ladies whose beauty went to our heads

And we’ll sing for the ladies who went slyly to our beds

We’ll drink to the ladies, the shy ones and the bold

For both were much more wild in the stories that we told

[CHORUS]

And this verse is for the man we know as Charley Mopps

Who had the brilliant idea of brewing up some hops

Then he threw some barley and some malt into that brew

It may not be as fine as wine, but it will surely do

[CHORUS]

Raise a glass unto our friends, our friends both near and far

Who’ve seen us laugh and seen us cry and never left the bar

To friends who’ll let you flounder but never let you sink

Friends who’ll always be there if you’re paying for the drinks

           [CHORUS]

Here is one just for our wives so lovely and so sweet

Who, when we return won’t throw us out into the street

It’s true that they will scream and nag and sometimes even curse

Even so, we all still know alone would be far worse

            [CHORUS]

This one is our final toast, and it’s to all of you

For we know you’ll love the show if you’ve been drinking too!

So raise your glasses up dear friends, bottoms to the sky

The jokes will all get funnier if you give it a try

            [CHORUS]

            [CHORUS]

Sixty set out from Cambridge all good men and true

On a gunship bound for glory with a young and wild crew

We’d charge in, make our stand, and we’d see victory

But when we’d won our first battle there were only fifty-three.

More died from infection despite the surgeon’s tricks

That brought our bold and fearless crew down to forty-six

We then sailed away thinking we had seen the worst

But we steered her back around when we heard a cannon’s burst.

Second fight that day and our luck was fading fast

Though we stayed afloat we’d lost most of our main mast

We were now adrift and very glad to be alive

Though I must admit our crew was now down to thirty-five.

Most of the food was ruined from the salt sea down below

But we didn’t fear ‘til the water started running low

With our bold and hardy crew just a fortnight out to sea

The cruel sea had taken twelve and we were twenty-three.

Four more days had passed when we caught site of a gale

We were sucking rain from the rags that used to be our sail

Another week adrift was the worst sight ever seen

Our beleaguered crew was now down to just seventeen.

The first mate started screaming and set the deck alight

We tried to restrain him but he had a madman’s fight

When we stopped him he’d just hum “It’ll all be fine”

But by then our battered crew was no more than nine.

From nine we went to seven, from seven down to three

The cabin boy, the carpenter and the boson, that was me

We all sat there on the deck, though none of us could speak

We should be keeping watch but we were all too weak

The cabin boy was curled up in a corner all alone

The carpenter was muttering and gnawing on a bone

I just kept on laughing, cause I knew I’d lost my grip

As we were taken one by one to the rescue ship

Never go to sea, me boys, never leave the land

For once you’re out to sea it doesn’t matter what you planned

Your life lies in the mercy of the sea heartless and cruel

So you’ll stay ashore unless you truly are a fool.

Though three survived that awful trip I’m the last one of my crew

The others locked in their own minds, their voyage never through

So listen to me lads before you take your hellish trip

Man belongs upon the ground, not on some Goddamn ship.  

That Liverpool ship, that wonderful ship, now that’s the ship for me

She’s called the Queen Fairy and she’s quite a sight to see

The ship’s all manned by women, not a single bloke in sight

Except for me, the cabin boy, who tucks them in at night.

Now on that ship our boatswain’s name was “Foghorn” Fanny Pearl

Around the world you’ll not find such a playful, willing girl

But every time we’d go below she’d let forth such a howl

The Cap’n would yell, “There she blows! There’s whales off the bow”!

            [CHORUS]

The gunner’s name was Charlotte Payne and she was full of spite

She kept a loaded blunderbuss in bed with her at night

And so she caught me as I climbed into her tiny bed

“My gun is cocked,” She grinned and said, “But I’ll cock yours instead”!

            [CHORUS]

“Sunlight” Sally, our First Mate, a natural blonde is she

She suns in the nude upon the deck for all the crew to see

I rub her skin with slippery oils from her feet up to her neck

And when we make love I slip right off and slide across the deck

            [CHORUS]

Then there’s our cook, and I might add, a truly filling dish.

She goes with wine, she goes with ale, she goes with fowl or fish.

When I’m hungry for a snack I slip right down below

And have myself a little bite of luscious Lucy Blow.

            [CHORUS]

Our Captain, Young Colleen McBust, now she was best of all

She has two certain features just as large as cannonballs

Like two moons they’re big and round and alabaster white

And like all heavenly bodies, they’re sure to come out tonight!

            [CHORUS]

            [CHORUS]

We left one morning from Bristol

To the Indies we’d set sail

Captain Thompson worried

Of many a pirate and a gale

The crew said “Dear Captain don’t worry ‘bout us now

For we have calm seas and dolphins at the bow.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout us now, don’t worry ‘bout us now,”

The crew said “Dear Captain don’t worry ‘bout us now.”

Captain Thompson stood on the foredeck

Pressed his spyglass to his eye

Looking to the horizon

When a pirate ship he spied

Then he wheeled and shouted, “She’s bearing on us fast,

Man your guns me lads this will surely be our last!”

“She’s bearing on us fast, she’s bearing on us fast,”

Then he wheeled and shouted, “She’s bearing on us fast.”

It was then she came upon us

Bringing Hell with her that day

Captain Thompson he lay bleeding

These words to us he did say

“God damn you, you bastards, don’t let them take my ship,

For I feel the Devil’s claw and my life about to slip.”

“Don’t let them take my ship, don’t let them take my ship,

God damn you, you bastards, don’t let them take my ship.”

We fired a volley back at them

Our aim it did not stray

With that one hard volley

We’d surely won the day

We’d sent them down to Hell boys, down to Davey Jones

Down to the depths where the sharks will have their bones

Down to Davey Jones, down to Davey Jones,

We’d sent them down to Hell boys, down to Davey Jones.

The Captain lay on the foredeck

His arms tied to his sides

Off the starboard went his body

His soul lost in the tide

The crew said “Dear Captain, don’t worry ‘bout us now

For we have calm seas and dolphins at the bow.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout us now, don’t worry ‘bout us now,”

The crew said “Dear Captain, don’t worry ‘bout us now.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout us now, don’t worry ‘bout us now,”

The crew said “Dear Captain, don’t worry ‘bout us now.”

Rally 'round the drum, boys, rally 'round the drum

We’ll need all your powder, we’ll need all your guns

Rally ‘round the drum, boys, rally round the drum

We’ll need all your courage, we’ll need all your sons

            Hear the drummer’s anthem call across the land

            It grows ever stronger through every boy and man           

            Kiss your wife and children, that’s what we’re fighting for

            Then come and join the rest as we go marching off to war!

Now the time has come, men, now the time is near

No time for hesitation, no time for showing fear

We have but two thousand, we’ll need a thousand more

When we have three thousand we’ll all march off to war.

                        [CHORUS]

Hear the drumbeat growing as it echoes in your chest

As we all march forward feel pity for the rest

Like the wives and children they'll be safe and sound

But they’ll never know the glory of a hero’s renown.

                        [CHORUS]

We’ll fight them in the valley, we’ll fight them on the plains

We’ll heed the drummer’s call till the last of them are slain

We’ll fight them in the mountains, we’ll fight them on the sea

We will not stop fighting till death or victory

                        [CHORUS]

Rally 'round the drum, boys, rally 'round the drum

We’ll need all your powder, we’ll need all your guns

Rally ‘round the drum, boys, rally round the drum

We’ll need all your courage, we’ll need all your sons

I’ve walked the halls of monarchs, and I have seen their tombs

I’ve delved into mines of salt, and stood in their carven rooms,

I’ve wandered the streets of cities whose language I did not know,

I’ve seen medieval cathedrals, and my friends in falling snow.

Flying over the ocean, hanging over the sea

Ten years before could I have dreamed this would be me?

For a decade I’d been singing of adventure far and wide

Now the song I sing tells of adventure that was mine

And I have seen the seat of a past tyranny’s might,

I have felt it’s echoes though it’s been years since it’s flight,

I’ve seen a club whose garish walls contrast with gray concrete,

And I shared a table with a woman I didn’t care to meet.

[CHORUS]

I have walked a city square with streets cobbled and wide,

And I have seen a young gypsy boy be harshly denied,

I’ve eaten salted fish and signed a wall to appease,

And I can finally say I’ve tried a Royale with Cheese.

[CHORUS]

I’ve gone without sleep so that I could see it all

I’ve gone from crowded pubs to ancient city walls

I’ve sung my songs from a stage in this foreign land,

And heard them sung back in words I didn’t understand

          [CHORUS]

          [CHORUS (POLISH)]

The door blew open and Jack blew in

He looked at the barkeep and said with a grin

I must be going I really can’t stay

So pour me a drink and I’ll be on my way

Barkeep said … “What’ll it be?”

                        I’ll have one whiskey, one porter, one rye

                           And bring me some cider I’ll give that a try

                        Bring me two rums, one buttered one cold

                        And bring me a scotch at least 7 years old

                        Then bring on the wine I’ll start with the Port

                        And wash it all down with a beer of some sort

                        The brandy and sherry some grog and some ale

                        Some old mountain dew and a good howlin’ gale

                        Mead, stout, vermouth and gin

                        Vodka, bourbon, and a sly grin

                        Moonshine, tequila, cognac and schnapps

                        Some old sour mash and two belly flops

                        Goldwasser, ouzo, white lightning, green toad

                        Absinthe, sombuca, and one for the road!

Jack drank it down and said that was great

But I must be going before it’s too late

Then his friends joined him and said sit back down

If you must be going we’ll buy you a round

Barkeep said … “What’ll it be?”

               [CHORUS]

With all his friends passed out on the floor

Still Jack’s bleary eyes were set on the door

The barkeep he said “It’s early you see,

So sit right back on down cause this one’s on me”

So Jack said … “Ut’ll butt he?”

               [CHORUS]

Two ladies entered Jack got to his feet

He motioned them over and said have a seat

Both the girls giggled, one gave him a wink

And Jack with a smile said I’ll buy you a drink

Barkeep said … “What’ll it be?”

               [CHORUS]

So Jack stood up and said “I must be off”

The barkeep said “Now I don’t mean to scoff

But you’re here nightly and never do go

So what’s say we both have one for the road?”

Barkeep said … “What’ll it be?”

                [CHORUS]

Barkeep said …  “FASTER!”

               [CHORUS]

It was just another day of drink in this salty, sea-side bar

The rafters creaked like broken masts that had seen their final gale

Old sailors at their drinks hung like torn rigging from the spar

Where once saltwater ran their veins, now there’s naught but rum and ale.

And in a darkened corner lit by oily candle light

The Young Man sat with the Last Pirate around their mugs of swill

The Pirate smiled his toothless grin, a drunken haggard sight

“You don’t want to be a pirate, lad, your soul can’t pay the bill.”

               “You’ll wash the decks with your blood, me boy, Davey Jones will know your name

                You’ll freeze, you’ll starve, you’ll burn with thirst, you’ll have no home or love

                Only fight and flight will be your life, it’s a pointless, dirty game

                If the gold you seek don’t drag you down, you’ll hang from up above.

Pressed into service by the Crown, ‘neath the lash I earned my wage

We tasted the Captain’s cruelty, his life I vowed to claim

I slipped my dagger ‘tween his ribs and the crew unleashed their rage

I raised the flag, black as night, and all men feared my name.

[CHORUS]

I slaughtered my way across the seas, I laughed in the face of God

Innocent blood was the Devil’s due, a bargain made for greed.

And in the holds of our taken ships, I stood and stared in awe,

As I cracked their keels in my hands, it was gold that they would bleed.

               [CHORUS]

I never knew the softened touch of a woman who wanted me

Her eyes would never beckon, her voice would never console

I’d roll into port and with my coin I’d silence any plea

I took the women I wanted, and if they wouldn’t sell, I stole.”

               [CHORUS]

The Pirate’s smile widened as a gale knocked on the door

As the wind blew in, the setting sun it gave a blood-red tide

In the arms of the wind the Young Man stood and was drawn across the floor

And down to the sea he danced, with adventure in his mind

The wind swirled ‘round the room, and as it blew back out to sea

The Old Man’s eyes held the flame as the candle light went dark

Now there’s one to carry on His vile and hateful deeds

Old Scratch just laughed as he faded away, for another bore his mark.

“You’ll wash the decks with your blood, me boy, and I will know your name

             You’ll freeze, you’ll starve, you’ll burn in Hell, you’ll have no home or love

             Only fight and flight will be your life, it’s a pointless sinner’s game

             And I’ll be there to tie the noose when you hang from up above.”

Let me tell you ‘bout Misty Brown

            Hey ho, heave her around!

She was a whore of high renown

            Way hey heave her around boys

            Man your line boys and heave her around!

She was fat and she weren’t pretty

               [CHORUS 1]

She’d do it all for less than fitty

               [CHORUS 2]

In Portsmouth town she staked her claim

           [CHORUS 1]

Sailors a smilin’ was her game

           [CHORUS 2]

In blew Jack with the Seven Year Itch

            [CHORUS 1]

He’s looking for Misty says, “Where’s that…”

           [CHORUS 2]

Jack found Misty down at the pier

           [CHORUS 1]

He threw her a thousand with a leer

           [CHORUS 2]

Now Jack’s dead at Misty’s place

            [CHORUS 1]

Least he died with a smile on his face

            [CHORUS 2]

Now that’s the story of Misty Brown

            [CHORUS 1]

She was a whore of high renown

           [CHORUS 2]

            [CHORUS 2]

Thirty men were killed here

And thirty widows made

This town’s only felt fear

Since the first stones were laid

Thirty men stood their ground

For son, daughter and wife

Facing death they were bound

To save their love, their life

Thirty men stared ahead

And saw their fate advance

Though their hearts were filled with dread

They kept their rigid stance

Thirty men cut and killed

Though their cause was lost

On the earth their blood was spilled

Their courage had this cost

Thirty widows in grief

To every hearth were bent

Flame would be their relief

Since all their hope was spent

Thirty widows took away

From the fire a burning brand

They set torch to wood and hay

Their homes burned by their hand

The Enemy stood and gazed

And saw their plunder burn

Then they all turned away

And never did return

Freedom won, the cost was dear

The sacrifice was paid

Thirty men were killed here

And thirty widows made

Thirty men were killed here

And thirty widows made

This town’s only felt fear

Since the first stones were laid

A schooner sat at bay while the crew all ran amok

The men they gathered on the pier to see if they were stuck

They shouted to the ship “Why are you still here in dock?”

‘Cuz the Captain got his knackers caught in the mainsheet block.

          I’ve seen old women blush from the tales that sailors told

          Of bawdy, ribald adventures some new ones and some old

          Scandalous journeys that they’ve taken some long and some short

          But the worst one that I heard of was a ship stuck in port

The first mate was in charge of making the ship go

But the matey’s got a cask of rum and his whore below

And the boson was belting out a crass and crude old song

It’s about a cuckoo’s nest but he got the words all wrong

          [CHORUS]

The cabin boy laughed and said it’s time now for some fun

And he lights off the powder in the foremast gun

The shot it caused a scream below from the first mate’s whore

Who up and shouted “Chuck it!  I’m going off ashore.”

          [CHORUS]

Then the mate came up on deck and said, “We all should go,

I know a place where girls are cheap and the rum it freely flows”

The crew all asked, “Should we invite the captain, to be nice”

“Hell no!  He’ll stay below with his knackers on some ice!”

         [CHORUS]

          [CHORUS]

Zombies out of the earth, Vampires out of the night

Ghosts comin’ through walls, Killer slash with a knife

Séance candles go out, the Ouija Board’s a flake

There’s no Holy Water, the Exorcist is late…

          WANTED: Horror Movie Hero, make Evil pay!

          You gotta work nights and a few holidays

          Weapons not provided, you start at the full moon,

          Experience preferred, the sequel’s coming soon!

Killer’s in the house, and the light switch doesn’t work

You found your friends all dead, the Slasher goes berserk

If you passed the front door to get away upstairs

Then the Hero is the answer to all your prayers

          [CHORUS]

Play with a puzzle box or meet a rabid dog

If you’re trapped in the closet or caught out in the Fog

The Hero always knows that Horror Movie Law,

When the going gets tough, the tough get a chainsaw!

         [CHORUS]

A hockey mask, a Shatner mask, head full of pins

Razor claws on a glove or a leathery grin