The Jolly Rogers - Royal Oak lyrics
[The Jolly Rogers - Royal Oak lyrics]
As we were sailing, all on the salt sea
We hadn't been gone months, but two or three
When we saw ten sail, ten sail of Turks
All men of war, full as big as we
"Haul down your colors, you English dogs!
Haul down your colors, do not refuse
Haul down your colors, you English dogs
Or your precious life you will lose!"
Our captain being a valiant man
And a well-bespoken, a man was he!
"Let it never be said that we died like dogs
But we shall fight, most manfully!
Go up aloft, you cabin boys
And mount the mainmast atop so high
For to spread the news to King George's fleet
That we'll run the risk or else we'll die!"
Now the fight began about six in the morn
And on to the setting of the sun
And at the rise of the next dawn
When we saw ten ships
We couldn't see but one
'Cause three we sank, and three we burned
And three we caused to run away
And one we towed into Portsmouth harbor
For to let them know we'd won the day
If anyone then should enquire
As to our gallant captain's name
Well, Captain Wellfounder was our commander
And the Royal Oak was our ship by name
We hadn't been gone months, but two or three
When we saw ten sail, ten sail of Turks
All men of war, full as big as we
"Haul down your colors, you English dogs!
Haul down your colors, do not refuse
Haul down your colors, you English dogs
Or your precious life you will lose!"
Our captain being a valiant man
And a well-bespoken, a man was he!
"Let it never be said that we died like dogs
But we shall fight, most manfully!
Go up aloft, you cabin boys
And mount the mainmast atop so high
For to spread the news to King George's fleet
That we'll run the risk or else we'll die!"
Now the fight began about six in the morn
And on to the setting of the sun
And at the rise of the next dawn
When we saw ten ships
We couldn't see but one
'Cause three we sank, and three we burned
And three we caused to run away
And one we towed into Portsmouth harbor
For to let them know we'd won the day
If anyone then should enquire
As to our gallant captain's name
Well, Captain Wellfounder was our commander
And the Royal Oak was our ship by name