So take half the things you think you know about pirates from the Golden Age of Piracy (broadly 1650-1730's, but peaked from 1715 to 1730) and toss it into the closet behind your Halloween pirate costume because it's probably wrong.

Much of what we imagine pirates to be like actually comes from fiction, specifically Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, a man who never, ever met a pirate because he published it in 1883. Okay, maybe he met a shady sailor or two, but he got most of his stuff from previous adventure novelists or pirate history books which were often embellished such as A General History of Pyrates by Daniel DeFoe (no relation).

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So, first off, get rid of the idea that pirates sang "sea shanties". As noted in this excellent answer by u/DBGB, the sea shanty as we know them such as that ear worm "Wellerman" (please God, get it out of my head) were largely a 19th century creation. Now, were there work songs? Sure, but they were probably more basic rhythm songs to keep the sailors in sync when hauling rope and such. As far as the drinking and carrousing, pirates from this era were overwhelmingly working men who had moved to the coastal cities to find work, so you would find them singing songs found all over their respective nations, be them work songs or pub songs.

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Did pirates drink? Of course they did. Of course rum by this period was common, but they didn't always drink it straight. Rum punch, a mixture of lime juice, rum, and sugar was common. Other punches could include exotic spices such as cinnamon, clove, other fruit and fruit juices, egg yolks, milk or cream. Sometimes they would swap out rum for wine and make sangria. Of course wine was also hugely popular, Madeira and a type called sack which was a fortified wine that travelled well were the most common. Beer was also common and mixed to create a drink called Flip, and another type of brew called Black Strap which mixed beer.

Now on land, drink up me hearties, but at sea, drinking was often restricted. Drunk sailors are bad sailors. Bartholomew Roberts in his "Pirate Code" restricted drinking till after dark and to the open deck. In the articles of Edward Low and George Lowther being drunk at the time of engagement was a punishable offense, so no drinking on duty. John Gow only allowed half of the crew to drink at a time. Did this mean that pirates were teetotalers at sea? Nope. Often they were completely sloshed in combat which as noted, lead to being bad at being a pirate. So yep, they drank. Also fun to note, some pirate ships payed extra to skilled musicians to keep folks entertained and gave them extra privileges.

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As for gold? Yes, of course they took gold. They took gold, more often silver (since most national currencies and especially the Spanish were made from silver), pearls, and precious jewels. However, the most common loot was trade goods such as fabrics, tobacco, sugar, tools, livestock, etc. Ship repairing tools were often at a premium so saws, axes, and lathes were a big get. Pirates often would loot people too. If they needed a carpenter or a cooper (a man who makes barrels, not bird coops) they would impress them into service. Doctors tools and medicines were also a big catch since sailors were often injured not just from combat, but the dangerous work of a ship, and well, since we know they drank, they also slept around and venereal disease was common. One thing you might not expect to be a highly prized loot were maps. No, not treasure maps, but charts of islands and coasts that showed where the shallows and reefs were, inlets they could hide in, etc.

As far as treasure maps? Nope. No evidence of treasure maps being a thing pirates did. Perhaps as lone sailors who buried loot after they got back to shore, but never on some deserted island. Pirates were in it for the money, and money buried under a palm tree on some island was money that wasn't getting you prostitutes or booze.

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Now, we come to something I also want to talk about. You have to understand, and please understand this; pirates were not noble examples of proto-Marxists or Anarchists who supported their fellow brethren of the sea with equal work, equal pay, and a sense of roguish honor. Pirates were criminals. Murderers, thieves, rapists, and slavers, the lot of them. Pirates at sea had to set codes on their ships to ban gambling often because gambling caused fights. Pirates had to have rules about theft because they would steal from each other. Pirates had codes about dueling because they often hated each other. Pirates would often loot each others ships if the pickings were scarce. Blackbeard before he met his fate took most of the loot and his most loyal men and ran off leaving the rest broke and stranded for the English pirate hunters. Pirates tortured prisoners to give up loot or for information. One particularly gruesome one was tying them to the mast, tying a rope or leather strap around their head, and tightening it with a stick till their eyes popped out. As far as they were concerned about African slaves, they would gladly sell them in port for a profit, or if they couldn't feed them, toss them overboard. Yes, there were some black pirates, but often pirates treated slaves just like other whites would; as property.

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-The Golden Age of Piracy: The Truth Behind Pirate Myths: Benerson Little

-The Sea Rover's Practice: Pirate TActics and Techniques:1630-1730: Benerson Little