In 1962, Roy Williamson teamed up with Bill Smith and Ron Cockburn to form the "Corrie Folk Trio". Their first performance was in the Waverley Bar in St Mary's Street, Edinburgh. After a few weeks Cockburn left. They had already accepted an engagement at the Edinburgh Festival so Williamson suggested that Ronnie Browne should be brought in to make up numbers. They also added female Irish singer Paddie Bell to become the "Corrie Folk Trio and Paddie Bell".
In 1966, Paddie Bell and Bill Smith left the group. Under the new name, The Corries, Williamson, a talented multi-instrumentalist, and Browne, the singer, performed at the Jubilee Arms Hotel in Cortachy, Angus. The early 1970s were the Corries' finest hour.
The Corries became legendary for the amount of instruments that were taken onstage during concerts; between the two members, instruments such as guitars, banjoes, mandolins, bodhráns, combolins, harmonicas and tin-whistles were used.
During the Corries' 1989 tour, Roy Williamson's health went into decline and he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. He spent his last years living in Forres, close to where he spent his school years. He died on 12 August 1990.
Ronnie Browne continued recording and moved into acting, as well as expanding his career as a noted painter, including commissions for the 1990 Scottish Rugby team's Grand Slam victory, but has now retired from performing.
In December 2007, The Corries were inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame at the Scottish Trad Music Awards in Fort William, promoted by concertina virtuoso Simon Thoumire's Hands Up for Trad organisation.
Barrett's Privateers
The Corries Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
( "How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
A letter of mark came from the King
To the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen.
(CHORUS)
God damn them all!
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold.
I'm a broken man on a Halifax Peer,
The last of Barrett's Privateers.
Well, Elcid Barrett cried the town
( "How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
For twenty brave men all fisherman who
Would make for him the "Antelope's" crew
(REPEAT CHORUS)
The "Antelopes" sloop was a sickening sight
( "How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
She had a list to the port and her sails in rags
And the cook in the scuppers with the staggers and jags
(REPEAT CHORUS)
On the king's birthday we put to sea
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
It was ninety one days to Montigo Bay
Pumping like madmen all the way
(REPEAT CHORUS)
On the ninety sixth day we sailed again
( "How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight
With our cracked four-pounders we made to fight.
(REPEAT CHORUS)
The Yankee lay low down with gold
( "How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
She was broad and fat and loose in stays
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days.
(REPEAT CHORUS)
Then at length we stood two cables away
( "How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din
But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in
(REPEAT CHORUS)
The Antelope shook and pitched on her side
( "How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
Well Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
And the Maintruck carried off both me legs.
(REPEAT CHORUS)
So here I sit in my twenty-third year
( "How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
It's been six years since I sailed away
And I just made Halifax yesterday
(REPEAT CHORUS)
The Corries's song "Barrett's Privateers" is a tragic story of a young privateer's journey during the American Revolutionary War in the year 1778. The singer, a sailor, is recruited by Elcid Barrett, a town crier, to join a crew of twenty brave fishermen to sail on the "Antelope's" crew. The story unfolds with the crew experiencing challenges and near-death experiences, from a sickening sight of the "Antelopes" sloop to the invasive encounter with a Yankee ship. At some point, the singer's upbeat spirit is broken as he experiences defeat in the battle, losing limbs and the crew failing to bag American gold. The story concludes with the singer sitting in his twenty-third year, reminiscing about his unfortunate journey and realizing that he's the last of Barrett's Privateers.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, the year was 1778,
The story begins in 1778.
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
The singer wishes they were in Sherbrook.
A letter of mark came from the King
The King issued a letter of mark.
To the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen.
The vessel was the worst the artist had witnessed.
God damn them all!
The artist curses their fate.
I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold.
The singer was promised a mission for American gold.
We'd fire no guns, shed no tears.
The singer was instructed to avoid violence.
I'm a broken man on a Halifax Peer,
The artist is in a poor state.
The last of Barrett's Privateers.
The artist is the last person from Barrett's group.
Well, Elcid Barrett cried the town
Elcid Barrett spoke to the town.
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
Elcid Barrett wishes they were in Sherbrook.
For twenty brave men all fisherman who
Elcid Barrett was searching for fisherman for his mission.
Would make for him the "Antelope's" crew
Elcid Barrett wanted the crew of the Antelope.
The "Antelopes" sloop was a sickening sight
The Antelope was in bad condition.
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
The singer wishes they were in Sherbrook.
She had a list to the port and her sails in rags
The Antelope had damaged sails and was tilted to the port.
And the cook in the scuppers with the staggers and jags
The cook was sick and vomiting over the side.
On the king's birthday we put to sea
The group set sail on the King's birthday.
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
The singer wishes they were in Sherbrook.
It was ninety one days to Montigo Bay
It took 91 days to reach Montigo Bay.
Pumping like madmen all the way
They had to work hard to keep the ship afloat.
On the ninety sixth day we sailed again
96 days after setting sail, they left again.
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
The singer wishes they were in Sherbrook.
When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight
They saw a large American ship.
With our cracked four-pounders we made to fight.
They prepared to engage in battle with their weakened cannons.
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
The singer wishes they were in Sherbrook.
The Yankee lay low down with gold
The American ship had valuable cargo.
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
The artist wishes they were in Sherbrook.
She was broad and fat and loose in stays
The American ship was large and not very maneuverable.
But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days.
It took two days to catch the American ship.
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
The singer wishes they were in Sherbrook.
Then at length we stood two cables away
They were only two cables away from the American ship.
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
The artist wishes they were in Sherbrook.
Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din
Their cannons made a loud, unpleasant noise.
But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in
The American ship fired one cannonball that hit them and caused damage.
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
The artist wishes they were in Sherbrook.
The Antelope shook and pitched on her side
The Antelope was badly damaged.
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
The singer wishes they were in Sherbrook.
Well Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
Barrett was severely injured.
And the Maintruck carried off both me legs.
The artist lost both their legs in the attack.
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
The artist wishes they were in Sherbrook.
So here I sit in my twenty-third year
The singer is currently in their 23rd year of life.
("How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!")
The singer wishes they were in Sherbrook.
It's been six years since I sailed away
It has been six years since the artist last sailed.
And I just made Halifax yesterday
The artist arrived in Halifax yesterday.
(REPEAT CHORUS)
The chorus is repeated throughout the song.
Contributed by Jasmine A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Colin
on The Roses Of Prince Charlie
The Silver Sand is D Day.
Colin
on The Roses Of Prince Charlie
Black hold fae the sea could mean oil
James
on The Bonnie Blue
Battle of Prestonpans, I think.
Gregory Smith
on I Will Go
Line 13 Replace "heilan" with "Highland"