[Intro] [One rough male voice, dry and amused] A man may kill for silver, A man may lie for gold, But the sea has never cared What a dead man tried to hold. [Verse 1] We took a brig off Veracruz, With silver stacked below, The captain kissed the treasure chest And swore he’d never go, We filled our pockets, filled the hold, We laughed until we choked, Then someone asked what good it was If all the bloody boat was broke. [Chorus] Gold don’t float, boys, Gold don’t float, It shines so bright Till it drags your throat, Keep what you can, But remember the note: A man may swim, But gold don’t float. [Verse 2] Old Henry tied his coins in cloth And strapped them to his side, Said, “If this ship should ever sink, My fortune swims with mine.” The storm came up before the dawn, The deck went hard and steep, And Henry learned how fast a rich man Travels to the deep. [Choir] [Low male harmony] Down he went, Down he went, Rich as any king. [Verse 3] We threw out guns, we threw out wine, We threw out half the meat, We threw the captain’s finest chair And boots from every feet, But when they reached the silver chest, The captain drew his blade, Said, “Any man who throws that out Will wish he never stayed.” [Bridge] [Lead voice only, slower] So we kept the gold. And lost the mast. Kept the silver. Lost the raft. Kept the pearls. Lost two men. And still we said, “We’ll make it yet.” [Chorus] Gold don’t float, boys, Gold don’t float, It shines so bright Till it drags your throat, Keep what you can, But remember the note: A man may swim, But gold don’t float. [Verse 4] By morning half the hold was sea, The treasure slid below, The captain chased one rolling chest Where sane men wouldn’t go, We heard him curse, we heard him fall, We heard the timbers crack, And no man there was fool enough To ever fetch him back. [Final Chorus] [Whole crew in rough harmony] Gold don’t float, boys, Gold don’t float, It buys you rum And a fine red coat, But when the black sea takes your boat, A man may swim, But gold don’t float. Gold don’t float, boys, Gold don’t float, Kings may hoard it, Thieves may gloat, But every coin becomes a stone The moment you go overboard. [Outro] [Single voice] We reached the shore with nothing left, No silver, gems or coat. [Low choir] But every man who made the beach Learned this: [Lead] Gold don’t float.
