Hoist the Colours

"The song has already been sung. The Brethren Court is called."

- Tia Dalma to Jack Sparrow

Hoist the Colours, sometimes written as Hoist the Colors, was a sea shanty known by all pirates across the Seven Seas. The song was related to the action of hoisting of a pirate's flag, though it was mainly used as a call to arms for the members of the Brethren Court.

Usage
"A dangerous song to be singing...for any who are ignorant of its meaning."

- Tai Huang to Elizabeth Swann

The song Hoist the Colours told the tale of the binding of Calypso by the Pirate King and the First Brethren Court. It was also used as the method of summoning the Court to stand together in the pirates' most dire need. It was sent forth by Hector Barbossa, who intended to unite the Pirate Lords and release Calypso.

Fourth Brethren Court
"The song has been sung. The time is upon us. We must convene the Brethren Court."

- Hector Barbossa to Sao Feng

The song was sung by assembled men and women sentenced for execution by the East India Trading Company at Fort Charles in Port Royal, after a cabin boy, facing the gallows, began singing the song while holding a piece of eight. The entire assembly soon took up the cue. The song was connected to the nine pieces of eight. Once the crowd had sung, the nine coins begin resonating. Sao Feng heard the resonance in a coin given to him by Hector Barbossa in Singapore, and the entire members of the Fourth Brethren Court united at Shipwreck Cove because of it.

Lyrics

 * Lyrics by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio
 * Music by Hans Zimmer and Gore Verbinski


 * Yo, Ho haul together, hoist the colours high


 * Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die


 * Yo, Ho haul together, hoist the colours high


 * Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die


 * The King and his men stole the queen from her bed


 * and bound her in her bones


 * The seas be ours and by the powers


 * Where we will...we'll roam


 * Yo, Ho haul together, hoist the colours high


 * Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never say we die


 * Some men have died and some are alive


 * And others sail on the sea


 * With the keys to the cage


 * And the devil to pay


 * We lay to Fiddler's Green!


 * Yo, Ho haul together, hoist the colours high


 * Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die


 * The bell has been raised from its watery grave


 * Do you hear its sepulchral tone?


 * A Call to all, pay heed to the squall


 * And turn your sail towards home!


 * Yo, Ho haul together, hoist the colours high


 * Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die

Other lyrics
There are different versions of this song, some including the different writings of "colors" and "colours". Others by changing a lyric or two in each, in which two examples stand out.

This small piece was used at the beginning of At World's End:
 * Yo ho, all hands, hoist the colors high


 * Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die

This small piece was used in the original lyrics:
 * Yo ho, haul together, raise the colors high


 * Heave ho, thieves and beggers, never say we die

Behind the scenes

 * The lyrics were written by Pirates writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, with the assistance of director Gore Verbinski. Every verse relates to the story of Calypso and Davy Jones, as well as what occurred at the First Brethren Court.
 * The main title of the song is controversial, in which either "colors" or "colours" were used. In the At World's End soundtrack and various other material, "colours" is used. While in the original song lyrics and the subtitles to the film itself, had the term written as "colors".
 * The song was inspired by the "myth" that Blackbeard used "Sing a Song of Sixpence" as a recruiting song. The myth itself was a hoax by Snopes.com's "The Repository of Lost Legends", but the writers of the POTC films found it to be interesting enough to create a song for At World's End.

Appearances

 * Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End