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