The Coast of High Barbary
The Skullduggers Lyrics
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Look the weather in the lee
Blow high, blow low; and so sail we
I see a ship to windward
And a lofty ship at sea
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary
"Well, are you a pirate
Blow high, blow low; and so sail we
"No, I'm not a pirate
But a man o′ war," cried he
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary
For broadside, for broadside
We fought along the main
Blow high, blow low; and so sail we
Until at last our frigate blew that pirate's mast away
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary
"For quarters, for quarters!"
The saucy pirates cried
Blow high, blow low; and so sail we
The quarters that we gave 'em
Was to sink ′em in the tide
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary
Look ahead, look astern
Look the weather in the lee
With cutlass and cannon
We fought for hours three
The ship, it was their coffin
And their grave, it was the sea...
Ha!
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary
Blow high, blow low; and so sail we
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary
The song "The Coast of High Barbary" by The Skullduggers tells the story of a naval battle between two ships, one of which is suspected of being a pirate ship. The singer and their crew engage in a broadside battle with the other ship until they successfully blow the pirate's mast away. However, when the pirates cry out for quarters, the singer and their crew sink the ship into the sea.
The first verse of the song sets the tone as the crew prepares for rough weather and uncertain sailing conditions. The second verse introduces the conflict between the two ships, with the crew of the singer's ship questioning whether the other ship is a pirate vessel. The subsequent verses describe the battle itself, highlighting the use of cutlasses and cannons in the fight.
The chorus of "Blow high, blow low; and so sail we" reinforces the idea that the sailors are prepared to face any difficulty or challenge that comes their way while sailing. The final verse concludes the tale of the encounter with the sinking of the pirate ship and the deaths of its crew.
Line by Line Meaning
Look ahead, look astern
We scan the horizon in front and behind
Look the weather in the lee
We check the weather patterns to avoid danger
Blow high, blow low; and so sail we
Regardless of the wind's strength and direction, we continue sailing
I see a ship to windward
I spot a ship sailing against the wind direction
And a lofty ship at sea
And I see another ship out at sea with high masts
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary
We are making our way down the coastline of High Barbary
"Well, are you a pirate Or a man o′ war?" cried we
We question the ship we see to determine if they are a threat
"No, I'm not a pirate But a man o′ war," cried he
The ship responds that they are not pirates but a military vessel
For broadside, for broadside We fought along the main
We engaged in a fierce battle on the open waters
Until at last our frigate blew that pirate's mast away
After a long fight, our ship destroyed the enemy's mast, gaining an advantage
"For quarters, for quarters!" The saucy pirates cried
The pirates ask for surrender, but we refuse
The quarters that we gave 'em Was to sink ′em in the tide
We responded by sinking the pirate ship into the ocean
With cutlass and cannon We fought for hours three
We engaged in a long and intense battle using swords and cannons
The ship, it was their coffin And their grave, it was the sea...
The pirate crew met their demise on their sinking ship out at sea
Blow high, blow low; and so sail we
Despite the victory, we continue on our journey regardless of the weather conditions
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary
We continue sailing southward along the coast of High Barbary
Contributed by Chloe Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lowkei
on The Balena
[Verse 1]
A noble fleet of whalers
went sailing from Dundee,
While manned by British sailors
to work out on the sea.
From the western ocean passage
none with them can compare,
To the bravest ship to make
the trip is Balena, I declare!
[Chorus]
Oh, the wind is on a quarter
engine working free;
There's not another whaler
that sails out of Dundee
Can beat the old Balena
she needs no trial run
And she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!
[Verse 2]
It happened on a Tuesday
3 days out of Dundee,
When a gale took out a quarter-boat
and a couple of men, you see (couple of men, you see)
It battered out a bullwark,
her stampchains and her rails
And left the old Balena, boys,
a-floating in the gales.
[Chorus]
Oh, the wind is on a quarter,
engine working free;
There's not another whaler
that sails out of Dundee
Can beat the old Balena
she needs no trial run
And she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!
[Verse 3]
Old Jack-man cut his canvas
and nearly raised his steam,
Captain Jack with Aaron-boy
came plowing through the stream,
The noble Terra Nova, her quarters nearly burst
and still there at the whaling grounds,
Balena got there first!
[Chorus]
Oh, the wind is on a quarter,
engine working free;
There's not another whaler
that sails out of Dundee
Can beat the old Balena
she needs no trial run
And she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!
(musical interlude)
[Chorus]
Oh, the wind is on a quarter,
engine working free;
There's not another whaler
that sails out of Dundee
Can beat the old Balena
she needs no trial run
And she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!
[Verse 4]
Well, now our season's over
our ship's half full of oil,
we point the jib-boom t'wards our home
and to our native soil.
And then when we have landed
and the rum is flowing cheap,
We'll drink success to the skipper's health
for getting us o'er the deep!
[Chorus]
Oh, the wind is on a quarter,
engine working free;
There's not another whaler
that sails out of Dundee
Can beat the old Balena
she needs no trial run
And she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!
[Chorus]
Oh, the wind is on a quarter,
engine working free;
There's not another whaler
that sails out of Dundee
Can beat the old Balena
she needs no trial run
And she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!
[Outro]
and she challenged all,
both great and small,
from Dundee to St. John!