Look ahead, look-astern
Look the weather in the lee!
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we.
I see a wreck to windward,
And a lofty ship to lee!
A-sailing down along
The coast of High Barbary
"O, are you a pirate
Or a man o' war?" cried we.
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we.
"O no! I'm not a pirate
But a man-o-war," cried he.
A-sailing down along
The coast of High Barbary.
We'll back up our topsails
And heave vessel to.
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we.
For we have got some letters
To be carried home by you.
A-sailing down along
The coast of High Barbary
For broadside, for broadside
They fought all on the main;
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we.
Until at last the frigate
Shot the pirate's mast away.
A sailing down along
The coast of High Barbary
With cutlass and gun,
O we fought for hours three;
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we.
The ship it was their coffin
And their grave it was the sea
A-sailing down along
The coast of High Barbary