Old Buccaneer Lyrics - Incredible String Band

Sissie wouldn't believe, when I told her the old man was gone 

The one who lived all alone in the shack on the shore 

That's so hard to find, so had to go past 

He used to light our cigarettes and never tell anyone 

He had blue tattoos and he'd tell us tall stories 

From the bottom of a rum glass 

He's got things to see on the Spanish main 

He's gone away for awhile 

He's gone skull daggering on the Spanish main 

He's gone away far away 

Thought I heard sails creaking as the stars paled 

Anchor chains clinking as the night failed way out on the bay 

No one else knows how he crowed 

When they crowned him king of the cannibal isles 

Or how he'd really feel blind drunk 

At the wheel through a high hurricane 

He could dupe the devil at dice 

And charm charmers with his beguiling smile 

How he fell in love in Lima and a schemer stole his pearly girl 

And broke his heart again 

Now all the foes he killed, call him in to fight 

With their beckoning bones 

And all the gold he stole sparkles in the morning light 

His sweet ladies are all alone 

Sissie dear, let's not go near the church today 

The big bells tolling the hearse 

Goes rolling the holy Jose pray 

As they lay him away 

Lived one too many winters cold, cold weather 

Had to sail down to the south sea waters warm 

His old bones there 

Let an old man go through 

Let an old man go through