Dead Man's Sea Shanty

Oh, ya bastard, how's this ruddy old thing work, anyway?

Right, ya bastards, gather 'round, we ain't got all day

You know the one, and well, if you don't, it goes like this

15 men on the dead man's chest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

Drink and the devil had done for the rest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

Hawkins, my name, no glory, but no shame

Just a humble young barman with a glint in my eye

Dawkins might claim all man is one and the same

But I'd hazard he'd never witnessed a dirty scoundrel as I'd

The ensemble of the fearful, singing the bastard's refrain, it went

15 men on the dead man's chest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

Drink and the devil had done for the rest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

All through the night, broken by sleep and by fight

Billy Bones sat alone with his liquor in hand

Till one dusking light, when blue face became white

And the old buccaneer lay dead with a black-spotted brand

In pity, I'd thought it fitting to once more

Pipe up the band and sing

15 men on the dead man's chest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

Drink and the devil had done for the rest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

I fled from the blind man with a map in my right hand

And set off to sea with an all-too-new crew

Captain Smollett, Trelawney, Livesey, Long John looking lively

Adventure to be had, and some mighty treasure too

Eyes on the prize, Silver fired up the guys

And with a mind for the loot, and a tongue for the booze, they sang

(Let's take her away, lads)

15 men on the dead man's chest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

Drink and the devil had done for the rest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

Hungry, wanting an apple, I climbed into that barrel

And I heard that blasted bastard taint a young sailor's mind

"We'll be off with the goods. Off with joy, out the woods

If you keep your trap shut and keep your faith placed in mine

We'll lay them all flat, aye, you may lay to that

And as we sail from those dullards, they'll hear that dainty old line

We'll sing

15 men on the dead man's chest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

Drink and the devil had done for the rest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum"

And sure enough, they had us, (that Silver's bloody callous)

But in my daring escape, I met one old soul, Ben Gunn

One more for our crew, I thought "Here's what I'll do

I'll steal back the Hispaniola and round the score to one-one"

And to the beat of two pistol shots

And the memory of those Bristol docks

I can't help but admit, the report of my gun seemed to sing

15 men on the dead man's chest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

Drink and the devil had done for the rest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

Now, God as my witness, I'll admit this: I got cocky

I thought I'd sneak back to base and regroup like nothing happened

But instead, there lay Silver and his bastard parrot Flint there

To raise havoc upon the entry of a boy they'd left flattened

But as they hauled me 'cross those hills

Their bones were fraught with chills

As they heard the namesake of the bird

A soul that should lay dead and blackened, sing

15 men on the dead man's chest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

Drink and the devil had done for the rest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

"Cap'n Flint is long dead"

"The river man holds his head"

The shook pirates finally took me to where the treasure lay low

But oh, little do they know, young Ben Gunn's the British hero

It was long gone from its pit, and now our ship's where it's stowed

We struck a deal, Silver and I

He'd lend his safety, I would testify

And we shed the mutineers with our resounding old ode

We sang

15 men on the dead man's chest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

Drink and the devil had done for the rest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

We fled, five good men, and a bastard that lucked to be near them

Right back home to old Blighty, with a glint in our eye

All but that scoundrel, that is

He took off, and he took his

And as he did, I got to thinking 'bout that lesser-heard rhyme

But one man of her crew alive

What put to sea with seventy-five

15 men on the dead man's chest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

Drink and the devil had done for the rest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

(Let's bring her home, lads)

15 men on the dead man's chest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

Drink and the devil had done for the rest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum

♪

If sailor tales to sailor tunes

Storm and adventure, heat and cold

If schooners, islands, and maroons

And buccaneers, and buried gold

And all the old romance, retold

Exactly in the ancient way

Can please, as me they pleased of old

The wiser youngsters of today

So be it, and fall on, if not

If studious youth no longer crave

His ancient appetites forgot

Kingston, or Ballantyne the brave

Or Cooper of the wood and wave

So be it, also, and may I

And all my pirates share the grave

Where these and their creations lie