You people can watch while I´m scrubbing these floors
And I´m scrubbin´ the floors while you´re gawking
Maybe once ya tip me and it makes ya feel swell
In this crummy Southern town
In this crummy old hotel
But you´ll never guess to who you´re talkin´.
No. You couldn´t ever guess to who you´re talkin´.

Then one night there´s a scream in the night
And you´ll wonder who could that have been
And you see me kinda grinnin´ while I´m scrubbin´
And you say, "What´s she got to grin?"
I´ll tell you.

There´s a ship
The Black Freighter
With a skull on its masthead
Will be coming in

You gentlemen can say, "Hey gal, finish them floors!
Get upstairs! What´s wrong with you! Earn your keep here!
You toss me your tips
And look out to the ships
But I´m counting your heads
As I´m making the beds
Cuz there´s nobody gonna sleep here,
Tonight, nobodys gonna sleep here, honey
Nobody
Nobody!

Then one night there´s a scream in the night
And you say, "Who´s that kicking up a row?"
And ya see me kinda starin´ out the winda
And you say, "What´s she got to stare at now?"
I´ll tell ya.

There´s a ship
The Black Freighter
Turns around in the harbor
Shootin´ guns from her bow

Now
You gentlemen can wipe off that smile off your face
Cause every building in town is a flat one
This whole frickin´ place will be down to the ground
Only this cheap hotel standing up safe and sound
And you yell, "Why do they spare that one?"
Yes.
That´s what you say.
"Why do they spare that one?"

All the night through, through the noise and to-do
You wonder who is that person that lives up there?
And you see me stepping out in the morning
Looking nice with a ribbon in my hair

And the ship
The Black Freighter
Runs a flag up its masthead
And a cheer rings the air

By noontime the dock
Is a-swarmin´ with men
Comin´ out from the ghostly freighter
They move in the shadows
Where no one can see
And they´re chainin´ up people
And they´re bringin´ em to me
Askin´ me,
"Kill them NOW, or LATER?"
Askin´ ME!
"Kill them now, or later?"

Noon by the clock
And so still at the dock
You can hear a foghorn miles away
And in that quiet of death
I´ll say, "Right now.
Right now!"

Then they pile up the bodies
And I´ll say,
"That´ll learn ya!"

And the ship
The Black Freighter
Disappears out to sea
And
On
It
Is
Me