Barrett's Privateers

Often mistaken as a traditional song with a long history, this Stan Rogers original was written in 1976. It has been covered by countless folk artists. The tune is viewed as an unofficial anthem for the East Coast of Canada, where it can be found sung in pubs and university bars.

Rogers wrote the song after spending a weekend with Canadian folk band Friends of Fiddler's Green. He later commented, "they all knew the songs, and they could sing the leads in 'em. Well, I wanted a shanty that I could sing the lead in, instead of just hanging back and singing harmony on the chorus. I wanted to lead one, so I had to write it."

The song is set at the height of the American revolution, with the ship and its crew acting as privateers for the British crown against the Americans. The character of Elcid Barrett and the *Antelope* ship are fictional, but many other details mentioned are accurate to 18th century privateering.

## Factoids

A **letter of marque** was a license allowing private individuals (known as **privateers**) to capture enemy merchant vessels and other acts that would otherwise be labeled "piracy".

A **list to port** means the ship was tilting, sitting lower in the water on the port (left) side, either due to leakage or uneven ballast distribution — both signs of a poorly managed ship.

A **scupper** is a drainage hole in the side of a ship to carry water off the deck and back into the sea. The cook being "in the scuppers" would be similar to someone "lying in the gutter" on land.

**Staggers and jags** is slang for delerium tremens, a condition caused by severe alcohol withdrawal. Symptoms include confusion, tremors, loss of balance and motor skills, and horrifying hallucinations, sometimes progressing to seizures and death.

**Four-pounders** were small cannons, often favored on privateer ships for their light weight, but with limited range.

A ship being **loose in stays** meant it was slow and lumbering — i.e. one that ought to be an easy target for a privateer ship.

The reference to Sherbrooke is anachronistic, since the town of Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia (Rogers' most likely referent) wasn't founded until 1805.

Many consider it traditional to sing the the refrain "How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now" in the style of Rogers, adding a "whoop" after "now".

## Lyrics

These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns in their livestreams; their performance remains faithful to the Stan Rogers original.

>
> Oh the year was seventeen-seventy-eight
>
> How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!
>
> When a letter of marque came from the King
>
> To the scummiest vessel I've ever seen
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
> God damn them all! I was told
>
> We'd cruise the seas for American gold
>
> We'd fire no guns, shed no tears
>
> Now I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier
>
> The last of Barrett's privateers
>
>
>
> Oh Elcid Barrett cried the town
>
> (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
>
> For twenty brave men, all fishermen, who
>
> Would make for him the Antelope's crew
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> The Antelope sloop was a sickening sight
>
> (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
>
> She'd a list to port and her sails in rags
>
> And a cook in the scuppers with staggers and jags
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> On the King's birthday we put to sea
>
> (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
>
> We were ninety-one days to Montego bay
>
> Pumping like madmen all the way
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> On the ninety-sixth day we sailed again
>
> (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
>
> When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight
>
> With our cracked four-pounders we made to fight
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> The Yankee lay low down with gold
>
> (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
>
> She was broad and fat and loose in stays
>
> But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> Then at length we stood two cables away
>
> (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
>
> Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din
>
> But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> The Antelope shook and pitched on her side
>
> (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
>
> Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
>
> And the main truck carried off both me legs
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> So here I lay in my twenty-third year
>
> (How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!)
>
> It's been six years since we sailed away
>
> And I just made Halifax yesterday
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
>

## Recordings

#### YouTube Videos

* Music Video
* Chunderbuckets | Open Crew-sing in Sea of Thieves

#### Gig Videos

* Festival Maritim Bremen Vegesack 2019
* Severn Seas Festival 2015, Under The Stars

#### Full Band Streams

* The Longest Johns, Album Launch gig/party (19 Jun 2018)
* Christmas Party with The Longest Johns!!! (19 Dec 2018)
* Surviving the first month of 2019 with The Longest Johns!!! (New donation system) (30 Jan 2019)
* The Longest Johns and Friends, April. w/Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith 30 Apr 2019)
* The Longest Johns Streamtember (4 Sep 2019)
* Album Launch Party! Cures What Ails Ya, Available June 10th (Preorder Now) (10 Jun 2020)
* 100k Subscriber Thank You Stream (19 Aug 2020)
* I Stream, You Stream, We all Scream for Live Stream (20 Jan 2021)
* Stream If You Wanna Go Faster (12 May 2021)
* THE SING ALONG! JINGLE JAM 2021 - DAY 6! w/ The Longest Johns (9 Dec 2021)
* Streamage Mutant Ninja Turtles (3 May 2022)
* Stream me up Scotty! (23 Aug 2022)
* Streamboat Willie (17 Jan 2024)

#### Chill Streams

* Welcome to Chilltown with Andy and JD (23 Mar 2020)

#### Gaming Streams

* The Longest Johns Play Sea of Thieves but the servers die and we sing anyway (20 Mar 2018)
* Adventures on the Sea of Thieves with Andy and JD (29 Aug 2018)
* Anyone for a Shanty? | Sea of Thieves Singing Live Stream!! (Part 1) (23 Sep 2020)
* Party Boat with Krotukk! - 01/02/2020
* Sail and Sing! Sea of Thieves Stream - 18/05/2020
* Sing and Sail 2: Damp Boogaloo - 25/05/2020
* It's sail and sing with special guest KHARITES\_! - 01/06/2020
* Sail & Sing! Lets get damp and sing shanties! - 08/06/2020
* Sea of Thieves Tall Tales Marathon for Charity Part 2 (29 Jun 2020)
* Sea of Sings (and probably thieves) - 26/06/2020
* Sea of Sings on a Monday afternoon, oh what a splendid sight to see - 29/06/2020
* Sea of Sings on a Friday evening, oh what a salty sight to sea - 03/07/2020
* Sea of Sings. Tonight we hit the high C's... - 10/07/2020
* Sea of Sings. Tonight we sink to the low C's... - 13/07/2020
* Sea of Sings! Let's ride the waves like majestic manatees! - 17/07/2020
* Sea of Sings! Let's get boaty! - 20/07/2020
* Hoist Up The Thing! - 14/08/2020
* Boat! Boat! Boat! Boat! Boat! - 21/08/2020
* Yarr harr fiddley dee and all that. Sea of Sings! - 28/09/2020
* SHANT! - 02/10/2020
* Sea of Thieves? Singing? Splendid! - 09/10/2020
* DROPS! Sea of Sings! with BehavingBeardly! SHANT! - 30/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! with Spammals! SHANT! - 1/11/2020
* Sea of Sings! with Captain\_Falcore! SHANT! - 2/11/2020
* Sea of Sings! with KroTukk! SHANT! - 3/11/2020
* Sea of Sings! - 13/11/2020
* Shants on the sea! - 16/11/2020
* Full Friendship followed by Battle Royale! - 23/11/2020
* Sea of Joviality with KroTukk and KHARITES\_ - 28/11/2020
* Sea of Hijinks with Freyline - 29/11/2020
* Music and boats and stuff - 13/12/2020
* Jingle Drops Jingle Drops - 15/12/2020
* Virtual Pirate Concert with Krotukk - 16/01/2021
* Sea of Sings LIVE | The Longest Johns Sea of Thieves Stream (31 Mar 2021)
* Sea of Sings! Boats and stuff! - 15/02/2021
* Giveaway giveaways - Let's get in the sea - 01/03/2021
* We give you drops, we give pirates treasure, we give you GIVEAWAYS! - 22/03/2021
* Help me, Bob, we're bullies in a galley! - with Kharites\_ & Krotukk! - 28/05/2021
* Bananas! Boil ’em, mash ’em, stick ’em in a stew... - 25/10/2021
* Sea of Sings for War Child - 30/05/2022