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Blackbeard’s Song

SUMMARY:

The famous pirate Blackbeard sings about his life on the seas, his cruel customs and what he did when he got angry.

Gilbert & Sullivan parody

Lyrics by Dave Cohen

LYRICS:

When I was a nipper I boarded a clipper

Sailed the seas as a goods importer, oh.

Edward Teach is my name but I earned my fame

As Blackbeard the pirate of the water, oh.

 

Was a jolly chap with a jaunty cap

Always gave my crew good quarter, oh.

But I’m best known for blood and guts and gore

And a vicious reign of murdering and slaughter, oh.

 

(Best known for blood and guts and gore

And a vicious reign of murdering and slaughter, oh)

 

Left my home in Bristol with a sword and pistol

Bid a fond farewell to Old Blighty, oh

What my enemies feared was my thick black beard

Which I always enjoyed setting light to, oh.

 

Once I had a thing for a captive’s lovely ring

That shone like a jewel in the nightie, oh.

When the man said no I just said, oh

And chopped off his hand and said, righty-o.

 

(Man said no, he said, oh

Chopped off his hand and said, righty-o)

 

Oh, I love to sail the ocean with my flag that inspired emotion

With it’s smiling pile of skull and bones smashing hearts with a violent stabbing motion.

And I love to escape detection and to win my crew’s affection

Which was nothing to do with the twelve guns he wore on his belt that were for protection.

 

I was awfully nice, but I had the odd vice

Which occasionally caused a commotion.

The thing that I’d do was shoot members of my crew

If they didn’t show enough devotion.

 

(The thing he’d do was shoot members of the crew

If they didn’t show enough devotion)

 

Once when very irate I shot my first mate

Israel Hans for a bit of pleasure, oh

And when my debt’s grew, killed half of my crew

To increase my share of the treasure, oh.

​

Was doing well then seemed to run out of men

My captives boarded at their leisure, oh.

Smoked me dead then cut off my head

And displayed it on my mast for good measure, oh.

 

(Smoked him dead, chopped off his head

Displayed it on the mast for good measure, oh!)

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