Hoist the Colours
Short Drag Roger Lyrics


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The bell has been raised from its watery grave
Do ya hear its sepulchral tone?
A call to all
Pay heed to its squall
And turn your sails towards home

Yo ho, haul together
Hoist the colors high
Heave ho, thieves and beggars
Never say we′ll die

Yo ho, haul together
Hoist the colors high
Heave ho, thieves and beggars
Never say we'll die

The king and his men stole the queen from her bed
And bound her in her bones
The seas be ours and by the powers
Where we will we′ll roam

Yo ho, haul together
Hoist the colors high
Heave ho, thieves and beggars
Never say we'll die

Yo ho, haul together
Hoist the colors high
Heave ho, thieves and beggars
Never say we'll die

Some men have died and some are alive
And others sail on the sea
With the keys to the cage and the devil to pay
We lay to Fiddler′s Green

Yo ho, haul together
Hoist the colors high
Heave ho, thieves and beggars
Never say we′ll die

Yo ho, haul together
Hoist the colors high
Heave ho, thieves and beggars
Never say we'll die

The bell has been raised from its watery grave
Do ya hear its sepulchral tone?
A call to all
Pay heed to its squall
And turn your sails towards home

Yo ho, haul together
Hoist the colors high
Heave ho, thieves and beggars
Never say we′ll die

Yo ho, haul together
Hoist the colors high




Heave ho, thieves and beggars
Never say we'll die

Overall Meaning

"Hoist the Colours" is a traditional shanty-like song sung by pirates in the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean". It is a call to all pirates to fight for freedom and never surrender to their enemies.


The first few lines describe the bell being raised from its watery grave, symbolizing the resurrection of the pirate's spirit. The bell's sound is heard as a call to all pirates to pay heed to its squall and turn their sails towards home, meaning a return to the life of piracy.


The chorus, "Yo ho, haul together, hoist the colors high, heave ho, thieves and beggars, never say we'll die", is a rallying cry for all pirates to unite and fight for what they believe in. They refuse to lie down and die, instead, they will fight until their last breath.


The second verse tells the story of the Queen being stolen from her bed and bound by the King and his men. The pirates see their destiny as one of freedom on the high seas, ruled by the powers they control.


The final verse speaks of the camaraderie between pirates, some of whom have died, while others are still out there sailing the seas. The pirates hold the keys to the cage and are willing to face the devil on their way to Fiddler's green, a mythical land where sailors go when they die.


The song is a call-to-action that echoes the pirate's life. It inspires the spirit of adventure and the call of the sea. The song has an upbeat melody, and its lyrics have been interpreted in different ways, as a call to unity, freedom, and rebellion.


Line by Line Meaning

The bell has been raised from its watery grave
The bell has been lifted from the bottom of the ocean


Do ya hear its sepulchral tone?
Can you hear its eerie sound?


A call to all
A message for everyone


Pay heed to its squall
Listen carefully to its cry


And turn your sails towards home
Head back home


Yo ho, haul together
Let's work together


Hoist the colors high
Raise the flag


Heave ho, thieves and beggars
Everyone, including those who are poor or criminal


Never say we'll die
Don't give up


The king and his men stole the queen from her bed
The people in power took the queen by force


And bound her in her bones
And kept her restrained


The seas be ours and by the powers
We have control over the seas


Where we will we'll roam
We can go wherever we want


Some men have died and some are alive
Some of us are dead, some of us are still alive


And others sail on the sea
And others are still sailing on the ocean


With the keys to the cage and the devil to pay
With the means to escape and consequences to face


We lay to Fiddler's Green
We rest in a paradise after death




Contributed by Adam Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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