Look ahead, look astern, look the weather in the lee
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we!
I see a wreck to the windward and a lofty ship to lee
A-sailin' down all on the coast of High Barbary!

"Oh are you a pirate or a man-o-war?" cried we
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we!
"Oh no! I'm not a pirate but a man-o-war," cried he
A-sailin' down all on the coast of High Barbary!

"We'll back up our topsails and heave our vessel to,"
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we!
"For we have got some letters to be carried home by you"
A-sailin' down all on 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-sailin' down all on the coast of High Barbary!

"For quarters! For quarters!" the saucy pirates cried
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we!
The quarters that we showed them was to sink them in the tide!
A-sailin' down all on the coast of High Barbary!

With cutlass and with gun, oh , we fought hours three
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we!
The ship it was their coffin and their grave it was the sea!
A-sailin' down all on the coast of High Barbary!
Blow high! Blow low! And so sailed we!
A-sailin' down all on the coast of High Barbary!