As we sailed round the headland of Gun Cay one day
I spied a young sailor, off the gibbet he swayed
His face was all ghastly, pale as the shore
And I guess he’d been there for the whole night or more
A chain out of iron covered his limbs
As the ocean reflected his destiny grim
One look at his face showed the hard road he bear
Small men are big threat for he who won’t share
For reason or justice, now one more be gone
By the law, one more be gone
Leavin’ nobody to carry him home
By the law, one more be gone
By the law, one more be …
“Behold our future!” the bosun proclaimed
The punishment chosen for not being tamed
Let us be hanged, we have been treated worse
But into my grave I shall bring their fat purse
Drink bottom up for this brother of ours
And don’t take to much of a liking to your life
Don’t fear no death for it comes to us all
Let’s see this fucking order first quiver and fall
For reason or justice, now one more be gone
By the law, one more be gone
Leavin’ nobody to carry him home
By the law, one more be gone
By the law, one more be …
For reason or justice, one more be gone
A weak arm, a strong arm, one more be gone
A short sword, a long sword, one more be gone
We shall be murdered for what they have done
The navies shall claim their heroic strife
For taking a seaman from children and wife
For haunting this young lad’s parents’ life
By the law, one more be gone
By reason or justice, one more be gone
By the law one more be gone
Leaving nobody to carry him home
By the law, one more be gone
By the law one more be …