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Song of the Fishes
Burl Ives
Popularity ยท Low
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๐ฌ๐ง English ยท Original
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Lyrics
Original
Translation
Bilingual
As far back as history traces,
man has found a constant food source in the ocean.
Now take your pick: this song names a variety of piscatorial edibles.
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Come all ye bold fishermen, listen to me,
I'll sing you a song of the fish in the sea.
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So blow, ye winds westerly, westerly blow,
Weโre bound to the southward,
So steady we go.
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First comes the blue fish a-wagginโ his tail,
He comes up on deck and yells: โAll hand make sail.โโ
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So blow, ye winds westerly, westerly blow,
Weโre bound to the southland,
So steady we go.
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Next comes the eels with their nimble tails,
They jumped up aloft and they loosed all the sails.
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So blow, ye winds westerly, westerly blow,
Weโre bound to the southland,
So steady we go.
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And next comes the herrings with their little tails,
They manned the sheets and halyards and they set all the sails.
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So blow, ye winds westerly, westerly blow,
We're bound for the southland,
So steady we go.
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And next come the porpoise with his short snout,
He jumps on the bridge and yells: โReady, about!โ
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So blow, ye winds westerly, westerly blow,
We're bound for the southland,
So steady we go.
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Next comes the swordfish, the scourge of the sea,
The order he gives is: โHelmโs a-Lee!โ
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So blow, ye winds westerly, westerly blow,
Weโre bound to the southland,
So steady we go.
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Then comes the mackerel with his striped back,
He flopped on the bridge and yelled: โBoard the main tack!"
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So blow, ye winds westerly, westerly blow,
Weโre bound for the southland,
Anโ steady we go.
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Then along came the dolphin a-flappinโ his tail,
He yelled to the boatswain to reef the mainsail.
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So blow, ye winds westerly, westerly blow,
We're bound for the southland,
So steady we go.
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Then along come the shark with three rows of teeth,
He flops on the foreyard and takes a snug reef.
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So blow, ye winds westerly, westerly blow,
We're bound for the southland,
So steady we go.
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Then up jumps the fisherman, stalwart and grim,
And with his big net he scoops โem all in.
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So blow, ye winds westerly, westerly blow,
Weโre bound for the southland,
So steady we go;
Bound for the southland,
So steady we go.
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