Version 1

Lyrics
(American folk song)
1. There were two ships from old England came.
Blow high, blow low and so sail we.
One she was the Queen of Russia and the other Prince of Wales,
Cruisin’ down on the Coast of Barbaree.
2. “Aloft there, aloft!” our jolly boatswain cries,
Blow high, blow low, and so sailed we;
“Look ahead, look astern, look aweather and alee,
Look along down the Coast of the High Barbaree.”
3. There’s nought upon the stern, there’s nought upon the lee,
Blow high, blow low, and so sailed we;
But there’s a lofty ship to windward, and she’s sailing fast and free,
Sailing down along the Coast of the High Barbaree.
3. “Oh, hail her, Oh, hail her,” our gallant captain cried,
Blow high, blow low, and so sailed we;
“Are you a man-o’-war or a privateer,” said he,
“Cruising down along the Coast of the High Barbaree.”
4. “Oh, I am not a man-o’-war nor privateer,” said he,
Blow high, blow low, and so sailed we;
“But I’m a salt-sea pirate a-looking for my fee,
“Cruising down the Coast of the High Barbaree.”
5. Oh, ’twas broadside to broadside a long time we lay,
Blow high, blow low, and so sailed we;
Until the Prince of Luther shot the pirate’s masts away,
Cruising down along the Coast of the High Barbaree.
6. “Oh, quarter, Oh, quarter,” those pirates then did cry,
Blow high, blow low, and so sailed we;
But the quarter that we gave them – we sunk them in the sea,
Coming down along the Coast of the High Barbaree.
Version 2

Lyrics
Look ahead, look astern, look the weather in the lee.
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we.
I see a wreck to windward and a lofty ship to lee.
A sailing down all on the coast of High Barbaree.
O are you a pirate or a man o’war? cried we
Blow high! Blow low! and so sailed we.
O no! I’m not a pirate, but a man o’war, cried he,
A-sailing down all on the coasts of High Barbaree.
Then back up your topsails and heave your vessel to;
Blow high! Blow low! and so sailed we.
For we have got some letters to be carried home by you.
A-sailing down all on the coasts of High Barbaree.
We’ll back up our topsails and heave our vessel to;
Blow high! Blow low! and so sailed we.
But only in some harbour and along the side of you.
A-sailing down all on the coasts of High Barbaree.
See also
- Subjects: ballads / sea shanties
- Meter: 6/8, 4
- Scales: hexatonic
- Tones: l,t,drms
- more lyrics
YouTube
- Song with chords, 2 versions (PDF)
- 2 MIDI files
- Listen

