The Coast of High Barbary is a traditional song which was popular among British and American sailors. It is most frequently sung as a ballad but can also be a sea shanty. It tells of a sailing ship that came across a pirate ship off the Barbary Coast and defeated the pirates, who were left to drown.

An earlier version of the ballad is found in the Stationers’ Register for January 14, 1595 and tells the story of two merchant ships, the George Aloe and the Sweepstake, both sailing to Safee. While the George Aloe was resting at anchor, the Sweepstake sailed on, but a French ship attacked the Sweepstake and threw the crew overboard. The George Aloe gave chase and defeated the French ship, whose crew were shown no mercy because of the fate of the crew of the Sweepstake.

The most common lyrics may refer to the problems European and North American traders had with the North African pirates in the second half of the 18th century and the early 19th century, which led to the Barbary Wars.

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There were two lofty ships
From old England came
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
One was the Prince of Luther
And the other Prince of Wales
Cruisin' down the coast
Of High Barbary

Aloft there, aloft
Our jolly bosun cried
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
Look ahead, look astern,
Look the weather look a-lee"
Look down the coast
Of High Barbary

There's naught upon the stern,
There's naught upon our lee
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
But there's a lofty ship to wind'ard
An' she's sailin' fast and free
Down along the coast
Of High Barbary

Oh hail her, oh hail her
Our gallant captain cried
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
Are you a man-o-war
A privateer, a merchant ship? cried he
Cruisin' down the coast
Of High Barbary

I am not a man-o-war,
A privateer, " said he
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
But I am a salt sea pirate
A-looking for me fee
Down along the coast
Of High Barbary

For Broadside, for broadside
A long time we lay
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
Until the Prince of Luther
Shot the pirate's mast away
Down along the coast
Of High Barbary

For quarter, for quarter
The pirates they did cry
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
But the answer that we gave them
We sunk them in the sea
Cruisin' down the coast
Of High Barbary