Album: Works, Vol. 1

Pirate

(Emerson/Lake/Sinfield)

”Who'll make his mark”, the captain cried.
”To the devil drink a toast.
We'll glut the hold with cups of gold
And we'll feed the sea with ghosts
I see your hunger for a fortune
Could be better served beneath my flag
If you've the stomach for a broadside
Come aboard my pretty boys
I will take you and make you
Everything you've ever dreamed.”

”Make fast the guns tonight we sail
when the high tide floods the bay,
cut free the lines and square the yards
get the black flag stowed away
the Turk, the Arab, the Spaniard
will soon have pennies on their eyes
and any other laden fancy
we will take her by surprise
I will take you and make you
Everything you've ever dreamed.”

Six days off the Cuban coast when a sail ahead the spied
”A galleon of the treasure fleet,' the mizzen lookout cried
”Closer to the wind my boys,” the mad-eyed captain roared
”For every man that's alive tonight will be hauling gold aboard.”
”Spare us,” the galleon begged but mercy's face had fled
Blood ran from the screaming souls the cutlass harvested
Driven to the quarter deck the last survivor fell
”She's ours my boys,” the Captain grinned ”and no one left to tell.”

The Captain rose from a silk divan
With a pistol in his fist
And shot the lock from an iron box
And a blood red ruby kissed
”I give you jewellery of turquoise
A crucifix of solid gold
One hundred thousand silver pieces
It is just as I foretold
You... You see there before you everything
You've ever dreamed.”

Anchored in an indigo moonlit bay
Gold-eyed ‘round fires the sea thieves lay
Morning... white shells and a pipe of clay
As the wind filled their footsteps
They were far... far... away.

”Our sails swell full as we brave all seas
On a westward wind to live as we please
With the wicked wild-eyed woman of Portobello town
Where we've been told that a purse of gold
Buys many man a crown
They will serve you and clothe you
Exchange your rags for the velvet coats of Kings.”

”Who'll drink a toast with me
I give you Liberty
This town is ours... tonight.”

”Landlord, wine make it the finest
Make it a cup for a sea dogs thirst
Two long years of bones and beaches
Fever and leeches did their worst
So fill the night with paradise
Bring me peach and peacock till I burst
But first, I want a soft touch in the right place
I want to feel like a King tonight
Ten on the black to beat the Frenchman
Back you dogs give 'em room to turn
Now open wide sweet Heaven's gates
Tonight we're gonna see if Heaven burns
See how she burns... Oh she burns
I want an angel on a gold chain
And I'll ride her to the stars
It's the last time for a long long time
Come the daybreak, we embark...”
On the flood of the morning tide
Once more the ocean cried.

”This company will return one day
Though we feel your tears it's the price we pay
For there's prizes to be taken and glory to be found
Cut free the chains make fast your souls
We are Eldorado bound...
I will take you always forever together
Until hell call our names...”

”Who'll drink a toast with me
To the devil and the deep blue sea
Gold drives a man... to dream!”