[Intro] [Low solo voice, slow and unaccompanied] Before the sail, Before the tide, Before a man steps off the side, Count every soul that leaves the quay, The Devil counts them out at sea. [Crew, low] One for the wind, One for the wave, One for the deep, One for the grave. [Verse 1] We sailed with twenty-three that morn, Past gull and bell and harbour horn, The sky was clean, the water fair, But every sailor felt him there, Old Matthew spat across the rail, Young Peter laughed into the gale, The captain crossed himself in prayer, For every voyage takes its share. [Chorus] The Devil takes his share, boys, The Devil takes his share, You may hide below, You may curse and swear, You may nail your name To the captain's chair, But before we come home, The Devil takes his share. [Verse 2] First went Harry in the storm, One loose line and one broken arm, The rope snapped hard, the deck ran red, By morning Harry's bunk was dead, We wrapped him tight in canvas grey, Said what little men can say, Then tipped him where the black waves stare, One for the Devil's share. [Chorus] The Devil takes his share, boys, The Devil takes his share, You may hide below, You may curse and swear, You may nail your name To the captain's chair, But before we come home, The Devil takes his share. [Counting Chant] [Lead counts, crew answers in a low steady voice] How many left? (TWENTY-TWO.) How many strong? (TWENTY-TWO.) How many frightened? (NO MAN HERE.) How many lying? (TWENTY-TWO.) [Verse 3] Then Jacob lost his hand at noon, Steel and rope and a shifting boom, The surgeon burned the stump with flame, And Jacob never spoke his name, He sat three days beside the mast, Watching every shadow pass, When asked him what he'd seen out there, He whispered, “He's not had his share.” [Verse 4] The fourth night came without a star, No man could tell how deep we are, The sea went still, the canvas hung, And somewhere underneath us sung, Not whale nor wind nor timber's groan, But something with a voice like stone, It called one name into the air, And Samuel rose from sleep to stare. [Break] [Whispered voices only] Sam... (Sam...) Don't answer. (DON'T ANSWER.) Sam... (Sam...) Stay in your bunk. (STAY IN YOUR BUNK.) [Single sailor] Who calls me? [Silence] [Crew, very low] The Devil knows your name. [Verse 5] At dawn his bed was cold and bare, His boots and coat were folded there, No splash was heard, no cry was made, No mark upon the deck was laid, The captain ordered every man To search from stern to forward span, But even he would not declare Who'd paid the Devil's share. [Chorus] The Devil takes his share, boys, The Devil takes his share, You may hide below, You may curse and swear, You may nail your name To the captain's chair, But before we come home, The Devil takes his share. [Verse 6] Then fever took the cook below, Three men burned and two turned slow, One spoke nonsense through the night, One swore something held him tight, We threw no bodies overboard, For fear we'd feed that hungry lord, So five dead sailors travelled there, Waiting on the Devil's share. [Counting Chant] [More urgent than before] How many left? (SEVENTEEN.) How many strong? (FOURTEEN.) How many frightened? (NO MAN HERE.) How many lying? (SEVENTEEN.) [Verse 7] We found our prize on the Spanish Main, Silver bars and sugar cane, A merchant captain begged for grace, And spat his blood into my face, We took his cargo, cut him free, And watched his vessel lose the sea, That night our hold was rich and rare, And still the Devil took his share. [Bridge] [Lead sailor, nearly spoken] Some say he wants the weak, Some say he wants the brave, Some say every stolen coin Must purchase him a grave. Some say he walks the lower deck When moonlight leaves the sky, And touches one man on the back To tell him he must die. [Crew] Don't turn around. (DON'T TURN AROUND.) Don't speak his name. (DON'T SPEAK HIS NAME.) Keep both eyes on the morning light, And pray he wants another man tonight. [Verse 8] We turned for home with twelve alive, Too tired to sing, too mean to die, No man gambled, no man fought, No one spoke of what we'd bought, Then land appeared beyond the rain, And every heart grew young again, But standing silent on the stair, The captain counted one spare chair. [Final Chorus] [Whole crew, louder but grim, voices only] The Devil takes his share, boys, The Devil takes his share, He may take your hand, He may take your prayer, He may take your friend While you sleep unaware, And before we come home, The Devil takes his share. [Final Chorus Repeat] [Slower, heavier] The Devil takes his share, boys, The Devil takes his share, No gold buys life, No brave man dares, You can outrun kings, But you cannot outrun there, And before we come home, The Devil takes his share. [Outro] [Back to the opening counting pattern] Before the sail, Before the tide, Count every man who's come inside.
