Come hear a sailor’s story
About the Island Queen
A grander ship, to sail the seas,
My eyes have never seen
She sailed the South Pacific
And rode the bounding main
In search of buried treasure in
The Pacific Island Chain
The waves would crash against her hull
And wash the deck with foam
Wind would hum throughout the rigging
Spars would creak and moan
The mighty sails would bellow out
And pull the yardarms tight
We used the compass by the day
And sailed the sky at night
Moonlight danced upon the waves
As hot rum filled the cup
Orion dipped into the sea
We watched the Sun come up
Morning brought the Easterlies
We’d feel the old ship lurch
The ocean was our real home,
The sparklin’ vault, our Church
The sky would fill with Seagulls
And convey their plaintive song
The bow would cut the heaving brine
And dolphins tagged along
Somewhere near the tropics
A startled voice rang out
"Pirates to the Starboard!"
The spyglass leaves no doubt
The mate up in the crow’s nest
Says, "They’re bringin’ her about,
She flies the Jolly Roger"
Her cannons start to shout
Our hull was split by the waterline
The men fought while they bled
They fired back and cursed the Sharks
Our Sails were ripped to shreds
The deck was red with blood before
We saw the Devil turn
We cried the tears of victory
And watched the ‘Roger burn
The bloody, cutthroat pirates
Finally beaten, sailed away
Their ship, a limping carcass,
Draggin’ off into the spray
After thirty days of sailing,
The ship as good as new,
The men are tired and glad to see
The reef we’re passin’ through
A solid bed and Island fruit
Perhaps some Island girls
We’ll give them blankets, spice and cloth
We’ll take some food and pearls
Coconut palms are swaying
In the salty, ocean breeze
The men are dancing, singing, laughing
Here, beneath the trees
With map in hand, we’re weighing anchor,
Off, to find a chest
A little Island holds our fortune
Far off to the West
Gold and silver, jeweled treasure
Bounty guarded by the dead
Wait for us on Beggar’s Island
Now we see it, straight ahead
Mates are swinging from the rigging
Singing songs of wealth, galore
Soon the men are dropping anchor,
Rowing to the rocky shore
Slashing through the heavy forest
We find a clear and level grade
Soon our spades are put to digging
Where the Captain points his blade
Fifty paces from a musket
Wedged into a gaping rock
"Mind the bones that guard the coffer"
Then a shovel hits the lock
"Dig around ‘er!", Barks the Captain,
"Lift the strongbox from the pit"
Then the sound of clanging metal,
Then a pause, we open it
Gold doubloons reflect the sunlight
Rubies, red, and Emeralds, green
Silver coins and brilliant Diamonds
Necklaces to suit a Queen
"You men have truly earned your fortunes"
Said the Captain, with a smile
"Tonight we’ll dance and toast the future,
We’ll sail the world and live in style!"
And so, they did fulfill their wishes
Back in Fifteen Seventeen
Living out their lives in pleasure
Sailing on the Island Queen