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The Pirates of Penzance
or The Slave of Duty

THE PIRATE KING'S SONG
KING: Oh, better far to live and die
Under the brave black flag I fly,
Than play a sanctimonious part,
With a pirate head and a pirate heart.
Away to the cheating world go you,
Where pirates all are well-to-do;
But I'll be true to the song I sing,
And live and die a Pirate King.

For I am a Pirate King!
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King!
For I am a Pirate King!

CHORUS: You are!
Hurrah for our Pirate King!

KING: And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King.

CHORUS: It is!
Hurrah for our Pirate King!
ALL: Hurrah for the/our Pirate King!

 

KING: When I sally forth to seek my prey
I help myself in a royal way.
I sink a few more ships, it's true,
Than a well-bred monarch ought to do;
But many a king on a first-class throne,
If he wants to call his crown his own,
Must manage somehow to get through
More dirty work than ever I do,

For I am a Pirate King!
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King!
For I am a Pirate King!

CHORUS: You are!
Hurrah for the Pirate King!

KING: And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King.

CHORUS: It is!
Hurrah for our Pirate King!
ALL: Hurrah for the/our Pirate King!

 

 

           William Temple
   The Original Pirate King.

 

Black flag: This is the black flag with skull and crossbones usually, at least fictionally, associated with pirates. See the picture on the Home Page.

Sanctimonious part: This refers to piracy in the business and political world and is still true today. At least the pirates on the sea were honest about what they did.

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Revised February 2010
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