I was down on me luck on the isle of Tortuga
Starving to death when I heard a man say
I got the fastest square rigger in all the west Indies
And I need forty men who can help me away
When I asked the old salt of the work he was meanin
He said taking the fat Spanish ships on the sea
When I asked ofe wages of all me hard labor
He threw back his head and he bellered at me
[Chorus:]
No purchase no pay is the rule of the day
If we don't take a prize then you'll go empty handed
You'll fight like a dog to help pluck a fine jewel
If anyone stands against us you'll help them to die
We shipped out on a Friday to ply the sweet trade
And weren't gone but a week when we spied our fair prey
Three fat Spanish ladies a-stalled out to windward
But we had the surprise and we seized the day
We engaged em' full on and we fought like the devil
One of us three of them yet we wont let them flee
And I had but one question for our rugged sea captain
Why did you never say they be firin at me
[Chorus]
We fired our big guns and we captured those galleons
They was as full of gold as three galleons could be
I made a small fortune from my one adventure
And retired from a short career in piracy
Now I sit here in this fine London tavern
Drinkin the best that my money will buy
I'll work and I'll fight and I'm still a fine sailor
But there aint enough money to pay me to die
[Chorus x2]
Starving to death when I heard a man say
I got the fastest square rigger in all the west Indies
And I need forty men who can help me away
When I asked the old salt of the work he was meanin
He said taking the fat Spanish ships on the sea
When I asked ofe wages of all me hard labor
He threw back his head and he bellered at me
[Chorus:]
No purchase no pay is the rule of the day
If we don't take a prize then you'll go empty handed
You'll fight like a dog to help pluck a fine jewel
If anyone stands against us you'll help them to die
We shipped out on a Friday to ply the sweet trade
And weren't gone but a week when we spied our fair prey
Three fat Spanish ladies a-stalled out to windward
But we had the surprise and we seized the day
We engaged em' full on and we fought like the devil
One of us three of them yet we wont let them flee
And I had but one question for our rugged sea captain
Why did you never say they be firin at me
[Chorus]
We fired our big guns and we captured those galleons
They was as full of gold as three galleons could be
I made a small fortune from my one adventure
And retired from a short career in piracy
Now I sit here in this fine London tavern
Drinkin the best that my money will buy
I'll work and I'll fight and I'm still a fine sailor
But there aint enough money to pay me to die
[Chorus x2]