Roger McGuinn Jolly Roger written by Roger McGuinn/Jacques Levy
The sun comes up on the Spanish sea our homeland far behind us
Being hunted by the King's Navy it's sure he'd never find us
Pull away me lads O the Cardiff Rose and hoist the Jolly Roger
We brought her into the looward wind and made for the Caribbean
For thoughts of what it might have been destroys a human being
But thoughts about the Spanish gold and learning to desire it
Can make a man so brash and bold he'll soon become a pirate
Pull away me lads of the Cardiff Rose and hoist the Jolly Roger
Now a gleam came into the captain's eyes as he spied an English
clipper
She looks the perfect shape and size let's all aboard and strip her
We fired a shot across her bow and eased ourselves beside her
With our keel as close as she'd allow we swung from the deck to ride
her
Pull away me lads of the Cardiff Rose and hoist the Jolly Roger
Up she tumbles and starts to pitch and signals for assistance
We tightened our hold another hitch and ended her resistance
Now there's many a day on the Spanish sea I served aboard that
raider
But we never did nothing more beautifully
Than the way that we belayed her
Pull away me lads of the Cardiff Rose and hoist the Jolly Roger
Her hold was hot as St Elmo's fire her chests were filled with
treasure
We took as much as we'd require then took more for our pleasure
Now there's many a day on the Spanish Main
But none I hold so dear
As the happy day I first became a scurvy buccaneer
Pull away me lads of the Cardif Rose and hoist the Jolly Roger
Copyright @ 1975 Patian Music and Jackelope Publishing Co.(BMI)
From the "Cardiff Rose'' LP Columbia Records 1976