Lyrics Captain Colston - Andy Irvine

You sailors all on you I call you heroes stout and brave
That are inclined to cross the sea your homelands now to leave

Come join with Captain Colston that hero stout and bold
Who fought his way all on the sea and never was controlled

O we sailed away from Liverpool the weather being fine
Bound for New York City boys it was our chief design
We being all Irish emigrants the truth to you I'll tell
Who in distress our homes had left and to Ireland bid farewell

On the evening of the twenty fifth our captain he did cry
Clear away the decks me boys for a strange sail I do spy
And all you Irish emigrants awake now from your sleep
For in a few more hours me boys you'll be slumbering in the deep
For a pirate ship is a-coming down just from the Western sea
For to rob us of our property going to Amerikay

Well the pirate ship came up to us and ordered us to stand
Your gold and precious cargo this moment we demand
Your gold and precious loading resign to me this day
For one living soul you'll never bring unto Amerikay

But up and spoke our captain with voice both loud and bold
Saying we will slumber in the deep before we'll be controlled
Before that we'll surrender our property to thee
We'll fight like Irish hearts of oak and gain the victory

So the battle it commenced and the firing did begin
They wounded the captain's mate and killed two of his men
But our Irish boys were valiant and brave and our cannons loud did roar
And we killed ten of the pirate men and threw them overboard

Well the cries of women and children as in the hold they lay
And our captain and his gallant crew they showed an Irish play
The captain's wife she came on deck saying I'll soon end this strife
And with a pistol ball she took the pirate captain's life

And it's to conclude and finish the truth I'll tell to you
O we never lost a single man excepting one or two
And the pirate ship surrendered just at the break of day
And we brought her as a prisoner unto Amerikay