You people can watch while I'm scrubbin' these And I'm scrubbin' the floors while gawking Maybe once you tip me and it makes you swell In this crummy Southern town, in this old hotel But you'll never guess to who you're No, you couldn't ever guess to who you're
Then one night, there's a scream in the And you'll who could that have been And you see me kinda while I'm scrubbin' And you say, "What's she got to grin?"
I'll tell you, a ship, the Black Freighter With a skull on its masthead be comin' in
You can say, "Hey gal, finish them floors" "Get upstairs, what's with you, earn your keep here" You me your tips and look out to the ships But I'm counting your heads as I'm making the 'Cause there's nobody sleep here Tonight, nobody's sleep here, honey Nobody,
Then one there's a scream in the night And you say, "Who's kicking up a row?" And you see me kinda starin' out the And you say, "What's she got to at now?"
tell you, there's a ship, the Black Freighter Turns around in the harbor, guns from her bow
Now you can wipe off that smile off your face every building in town is a flat one This freakin' place will be down to the ground Only this cheap hotel standing up safe and And you yell, "Why do they spare one?" Yes, that's you say, "Why do they spare that one?"
All the night through, through the noise and You wonder, "Who is person that lives up there?" And you see me stepping out in the Looking nice a ribbon in my hair
And the ship, the Freighter Runs a flag up its masthead and a cheer the air
By noontime the dock is with men out from the ghostly freighter They in the shadows where no one can see And they're chainin' up people and bringin' em to me Askin' me, "Kill now or later?" me, "Kill them now or later?"
Noon by the and so still by the dock You can hear a miles away And in quiet of death, I'll say "Right now, now"
they'll pile up the bodies And say, "That'll learn ya" And the ship, the Freighter out to sea and on it is me