[1] The song describes a 1778 summer privateering journey to the Caribbean on a decrepit sloop, the Antelope, captained by Elcid Barrett; when it engages in a failed raid on a larger American ship, the Antelope sinks and all the crew are killed except the singer, who returns six years later "a broken man", having lost both his legs in the disaster.
The song was recorded by the Scottish folk trio The McCalmans on their 1986 album Peace & Plenty (Song title spelled "Barratt's Privateers" on the album) [3] Phil 'Swill' Odgers singer with the UK band The Men They Couldn't Hang has sung a solo version after learning the words and melody from Weddings Parties Anything.
In 2012 the Kingston Trio recorded an a cappella version on Born at the Right Time and Celtic punk band the Real McKenzies covered it on Westwinds.
As part of a comedy bit on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in July, 2022, both the host and Jack White sang the first verse together, neither of them knowing that the other knew the song.
[6] The singer Jonathan Young also made a cover of the song with Caleb Hyles, annapantsu, Peyton Parrish, RichaadEB and Colm McGuinness in 2023.