The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #171436   Message #4146019
Posted By: Joe Offer
30-Jun-22 - 10:34 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: Alan Bell: The Definitive Collection
Subject: DT Correction: Fair Stood the Wind (Alan Bell)
I'm guessing the lyrics in the Digital Tradition come from the sing of Geoff Kaufman. I listened to the Alan Bell Recording and made the corrections shown in bold on the right side.

FAIR STOOD THE WIND (DT Lyrics)
(Alan Bell)

Now that the fishing is over
Now that the boats are all gone
Now that the quays are deserted
There's talk as to what can be done
For once we had herring aplenty
Once we had cod by the score
Once we had fish landings daily
ust as in the fisherman's song

cho: Fair stood the wind, for the old fishing ground
As we hoisted our sails once more outward bound
To hunt for the herring wherever they be
And take what we could from the bountiful sea
And home, once again with the swift flowing tide
With the harbor lights burning all on the port side
Our catch in the hold, our day's ;labor through
A share for the skipper, the boat and the crew

Farewell to the shoals of herring
Farewell to the long busy day
Farewell to the ones who remember
How to fish in the old fashioned way
For nowadays men of all nations
All gather to catch the seas dry
And they don't care about conservation
As they stand back and watch the seas die


Farewell to the far distant waters
Farewell to the nights and the storm
Farewell to the nights in the Minches
We're ashore and we'll never return
For now that the fishing is over
Now that the boats are all gone
Now that the quays are deserted
There's only the echoing sound
FAIR STOOD THE WIND (Bell Recording)
(Alan Bell)

Now that the fishing has ended
Now that the boats have all gone
And now that the quay is deserted
There's talk as to what can be done
For once we had fishing aplenty
Once we had cod by the score
Once we had fish landings daily
Just as in the fisherman's song

    CHORUS:
    Fair stood the wind, for the old fishing ground
    As we hoisted our sails once more outward bound
    To hunt for the herring wherever they be
    And take all we could from the plentiful sea
    Then home once again on the swift-flowing tide
    The harbor lights shining way on the port side
    Our catch in the hold, our day's labor through
    A share for the skipper, the boat and the crew

Gone are the shoals of herring,
Gone are those long busy days;
Gone are the men who remember
How to fish in the old fashioned ways
For fishermen now of all nations
All(?) gathered to fish the seas dry
For they don't care about conservation
As they did in the days long gone by.

Farewell to those far distant waters
Farewell to the ice and the storms
Farewell to the nights in the Minches (manches???)
We're ashore and we'll never return
For now that the fishing has ended
And now that the boats have all gone
And now that the quay is deserted
There is only the echoing song.



recorded on Geoff Kaufman's album Fair Stood the Wind
@sailor @fishing @sea
filename[ FRSTDWIND
SGL
APR99

Alan Bell recording from The Definitive Collection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4hX25fVKyk