Info: If Wishes Were Fishes (Eric Bogle)

Subject: Do you remember this song?
From: lefthanded guitar
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 01:38 PM

I'm looking for the title, artist,, words and/or chords (if possible ) of an obscure song. This request probably shouldn't even be on a folk music website, b/c it's so off the beaten path-but if any people in the world can find it, it'd be our Mudcats.

I am looking for a song that has the line
"I wish I was young again" and also
"If wishes were fishes."

I only heard it played one place- at the beginning of the Lynn Samuelsradio show when she was on WBAI years (and years and yearslol) ago.I guess in the eighties, maybe even the seventies. I always liked that song and wouldn't mind playing it again, but can't find a way to trace it.

Anyone? Anything?

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?
From: GUEST,Guest: Greg Doucette
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 01:47 PM

" If wishes were fishes" can be found on Eric Bogle's cd, "scraps of paper" available at Amazon. Eric wrote the song. Regards, Greg

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?
From: GUEST,Nicholas Waller
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 01:48 PM

A bit of googling on the phrases you quoted gave as top hit the page http://www.koffeeklub.net/shayenne/fishes.htm and the info "The song If Wishes Were Fishes was composed and sung by Scottish-born Australian folk singer, Eric Bogle", along with the lyrics, of which these are some:

And I wish I was young again, my song still to be sung again
The sweet tunes of my life have gone sour and off key.
Writing my tidal rhymes
trying to turn back time.
And if wishes were fishes we'd all cast nets in the sea.

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?
From: Banjiman
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 01:52 PM

This is probably Eric Bogle "If Wishes were Fishes"

First verse starts:

"I wish I was home again
At Home in my heart again
It's been a long time since my heart talked to me"

I've got it on a live EB album "At This Stage"

Hope this helps

Paul

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?
From: GUEST,Guest: Greg Doucette
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 02:00 PM

If you plug eric bogle into the first page of this site, you'll find lyrics, chords etc. to the song. Greg

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?
From: oldhippie
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 02:10 PM

Also on Phyllis Morrissey's "Where I Live" CD.

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?
From: Dave Roberts
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 02:51 PM

A lovely song. 'Tidal rhymes' should be 'tired old rhymes' BTW

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?-If wishes were fishes
From: lefthanded guitar
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 06:42 PM

Thanks Greg, Nicholas, Paul,oldhippie and Dave. I KNEW my mudcat mavens could solve the puzzle. Wow, turns out it is a folk(style) song after all, and penned by one of my favorite songwriters. I know Eric for (of course) "The band played walzing Matilda", have seen him in concert but never heard him do this song.

Ah the subconscious works in mysterious ways (or not so mysterious lol) - I just had a birthday and this song started roaming around in my thoughts - I agree Dave it IS quite a lovely song and so meaningful as one reaches..ah.....a certain age.

btw I'm not familia with Phyllis Morrisey, is that a recent CD?

btw does anyone listen to Lynn Samuels anymore. She always used to make me laugh; I really didn't pay attention to her politics as much as her delightfully Noo Yawkese observations on life, like that the stairs at 74th Street and Roosevelt Ave IND line was too too much to climb(and they still are) I heard she's on satellite radio but I am not yet plugged in.

Thanks again, mudcat friends!
leftie

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?-If wishes were fishes
From: Leadfingers
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 06:45 PM

Seventh song in the list at the top of this thread ! Bloody good song !

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?-If wishes were fishes
From: oldhippie
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 07:05 PM

lefthanded - Phyllis Morrissey is from St Johns, Newfoundland. CD is from 1991. It also contains another Bogle song, "My Youngest Son Came Home Today". She has another CD, "Woman of the Island".

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?-If wishes were fishes
From: Bugsy
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 08:23 PM

If you click on this link Eric bogle complete lyrics you'lkl find Eric has kindly posted All the lyrics to All his songs.

Cheers


Bugsy

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?-If wishes were fishes
From: Bugsy
Date: 28 Aug 07 - 08:25 PM

I'lkl have to stop makling so many spelkling mistakes.

Cheers
'
Busgy

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?-If wishes were fishes
From: GUEST,crazy little woman
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 11:58 AM

Inspired by the old proverb -- if wishes were fishes, we could all sip bouillabaisse.

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?-If wishes were fish
From: folk1e
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 09:20 PM

"if wishes were fishes..." was a phrase his mother used to say to him before he emigrated to OZ!

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?-If wishes were fishes
From: TRUBRIT
Date: 29 Aug 07 - 11:53 PM

If wishes were fishes was a phrase many of our mothers used on we folk from the UK -- well, if wishes were fishes, we'd all be rich, or if wishes were fishes - no one would have to work again et all.

BTW the song is wonderful.......and Scraps of Paper is the only Eric Bogle I have actually on vinyl.......

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?-If wishes were fishes
From: Joybell
Date: 30 Aug 07 - 02:44 AM

Those of us over 60 remember the saying as:
If wishes were fishes, beggars would ride.

Meaning wishes are plentiful -- which is an entirely different thing. Bogle suggests we need MORE wishes. Always seemed a bit odd to me.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?-If wishes were fishes
From: Dave Roberts
Date: 30 Aug 07 - 06:12 AM

Not wishing to be pedantic, surely that's 'If wishes were horses, beggars would ride'?

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?-If wishes were fishes
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 30 Aug 07 - 10:58 AM

I know what you mean, Dave. The way I've heard it is, "If wishes were horses, we could all go riding."

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?-If wishes were fishes
From: Wolfgang
Date: 31 Aug 07 - 10:20 AM

If you click on this link Eric bogle complete lyrics you'lkl find Eric has kindly posted All the lyrics to All his songs.


No, not to all of his songs. There are Bogle lyrics on Mudcat that are not on his own site.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Do you remember this song?-If wishes were fishes
From: Bugsy
Date: 01 Sep 07 - 01:47 AM

Well, SLAP ME DOWN WITH A WET KIPPER!

Bugsy