Come all my brisk young seamen lads that have a mind to enter
On board a Phoebus frigate, your precious lives to venture;
On board a Phoebus frigate, she's Richard called by name,
And she's cruising with the Shannon all on the French main.
Singing What cheer O.
Now we'd not been sailing many leagues before we did espy
Three lofty sails to windward, they came bearing down so nigh;
But two of them were merchant men came bowling from the West
But the Conway was a frigate that did sail out of Brest.
Singing What cheer O.
Now we bore down upon them with high and lofty sails;
For broadside on broadside they soon made us prevail.
Then he lashed his helm o'weather, not thinking he could fly;
When they found their ship was sinking for quarter they did cry.
Singing What cheer O.
Now we launched out our longboats and the others did likewise
To save all these poor prisoners that ever we came nigh;
And those which we saved they vow and protest
We sunk the finest frigate that did sail out of Brest.
Singing What cheer O.
So come all my brisk young fellows, now to Kingston we have got,
Let every hearty fellow drink out of a hearty pot;
For some unto their sweethearts and some unto their wives,
So we'll sing Hallelujah to all England, my brave boys.
Singing What cheer O.
(English sea shanty -- original author unknown)