Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland

Subject: RE: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From: JimLucas
Date: 25 Mar 24 - 09:39 PM

A long gap in this thread, but Joe Offer just heard me recite this, so he asked me to post what I know. Here goes.

Years ago, I was exchanging songs with a fellow (I don't remember his name) at the Mariposa Folk Festival (in Toronto), and he recited "Lobster Salad". I fancied it, and he actually bothered to write it out for me. He said he had only heard it once, at an open mike in Newfoundland. He didn't know who composed it.

I have a later note, which says "by John Joe English(?), Newfoundland", but I didn't record where, when, or from whom I got that. I do recall that the source was unsure of the attribution, hence the question mark.

Here's the text, as I have it:

         Lobster Salad

Last night I was invited by an old-time friend of mine
To eat his lobster salad and drink his beer and wine.
We drank a toast unto each other until the hour of two;
Me legs were kind of shaky, and me head was shaky, too,

But anyhow, I staggered home; I think my prayers I said,
But anyway, I was paralyzed when I got into bed.
I dreamt I died; I went to Heaven and met St. Peter at the gate;
And found repentance for me was just a bit too late.

"You go out," St. Peter said; "You know you can't come in.
You know you have to pay for your awful gluttonous sin."
Slowly then, I turned away, tried by grief and shame,
And I saw St. Peter's clerk close by; he wrote "lost" above me name.

Next there came a Hebrew, a friend that I knew well,
And I listened to the story that he had to tell.
"Oh, goodly father Peter, I come to you at last,
And one request I ask of you, if you would let me pass."

"On Earth I had a clothing store, and me clothes were good and strong;
Just to show you this fine overcoat, I'll fetch it along."
"You go out," St. Peter said, "for very well you know,
You have no use for overcoats in the place where you got to go."

Next that came was an old maid, and she was bound to have her say,
And she addressed St. Peter in a pure sort of way.
"Oh, goodly father Peter, I come to you, at last,
And one request I ask of you, if you would let me pass."

"Oh, goodly father Peter, oh, won't you let me in,
And give me a nice little place to myself, away from those naughty men."
"You go out," St. Peter said; "no angels have grey hairs.
You have no sons or daughters, so you cannot come in here."
Slowly the old maid turned away, forever to repine.
Like me and all the rest of us, she centered in the line.

Next that came was Paddy, a son of old Erin's Isle,
And he addressed St. Peter with a loving, gracious smile.
"Ah, 'tis yourself, St. Peter; you're lookin' so nice and sweet.
Open the door and let me in, and show me to me seat."

"You go out," St. Peter said; "your case, like the rest, must be tried.
You have to show a pass for it, before you get inside."
"Oh, hurry up, St. Peter, or for supper I'll be late."
He then took off his old slouch hat and threw it inside the gate.

"Go get that hat," St. Peter said, "you sacrilegious slouch."
Pat ran in, shut the door, and locked St. Peter out.
Then through the keyhole, Paddy cried, "I'm the skipper, now, you see.
I'll give up me crown and the keys to Heaven, if you'll set old Ireland free!"

When I awoke, me head was jammed between the bedpost and the wall;
Me feet were tangled in the sheets; and the lobsters done it all.

Subject: RE: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From: gnu
Date: 28 Jul 11 - 02:47 PM

Thanks mduke!

Subject: RE: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From: GUEST,mduke
Date: 28 Jul 11 - 09:48 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5zejJM_ha8

What you're looking for is called "Like ya Would"

Subject: RE: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From: GUEST,Guest888
Date: 26 Nov 10 - 10:08 AM

You can find a recording of John Joe English of Branch, Newfoundland reciting Lobster Salad on the Alder Institute website.

The recording is an archive of Episode 65 of a radio show archive. Pasting a direct link does not seem to work, so here is the info you will need to find it.

1. Alder Institute Website is: http://alder.nf.ca   (click on the picture to enter to site)

2. Click on "Radio Show" on the menu (located under the film strip)
3. Clink on "Audio Archive" link
4. Clink on "Episodes 41 - 91, January - December 2001"
5. Scroll down to "Episode 65 June 27, 2001"
6. Here you have it. Recitation        3:37        John Joe English tells the story "Lobster Salad" ; available on a Pigeon Inlet CD

Note that it says it is available on a Pigeon Inlet CD, however the CD is no longer produced. (The name of the CD is "Tall are the Tales"

Enjoy the recitation!

Subject: RE: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From: EBarnacle
Date: 24 Nov 10 - 07:11 PM

OK, since we don't have the song, how about the recitation.

Subject: RE: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From: GUEST,Guest888
Date: 24 Nov 10 - 11:36 AM

Lobster Salad was (and still is) a traditional Newfoundland recitation with original versions likely originating in Ireland at least a few hundred years ago. Joey Smallwood's version is a song and unfortunately I think is far inferior to the original recitation format. Although hearing it played on Jiggs Dinner, I figure not everyone holds that view. Have you ever heard the recitation?

Subject: RE: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 01:37 PM

This is probably not what you want..but I recall a grand song called the Great Lobster Boil..by Lem (Clem) Snow , I think. Is it available on CD, or any other of his stuff.

Subject: RE: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 12:41 PM

I am looking for the name of the recitation by Joey Smallwood about where he ate some lobster, went to bed, had some bad dreams,and almost hung himself in the bed sheets. At the end, he say's " I Dies at you"

Subject: RE: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From: 1979
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 06:15 PM

swelberg I thank you very much I am forever in your debt.

Subject: RE: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From: swelberg
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 12:59 AM

Wow! Would you believe that I actually ran into something not only 10 minutes ago. It is a reference to the song on a website that sells books from NFLD etc.. Go to www.nfnet.com/pigeoninlet/seasound.htm The book called "Tall are the Tales- NFLD Stories and Recitations" lists Lobster salad as one of its entries. You can also follow a link to these entries, but while some worked for me, the Lobster Salad one did not. You may be able to contact those who put the site together for more information. I hope that this helps!!

Subject: RE: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 28 Oct 99 - 01:34 AM

1979. 'Fraid I don't know the song...but do you know the "Welcome Hotel" and the "El Tico"? I stayed at the former and played at the latter. Joey's brother-in law owned the El Tico, and when every other club closed in St. John's, the El Tico was just getting going! One night I played to 200 Portugese sailors, who didn't speak English. They apparently liked the music (and especially Rita the stripper) 'cause they gave us a present of a keg of Rum from their ship. We didn't know how to open it properly and it broke! Spilling the contents all over the floor. Tragedy!

Rick

Subject: RE: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From:
Date: 27 Oct 99 - 09:23 PM

Just a note to let you know that I've been looking for traditional folk songs of the maritimes all over the place and while I've run into sea shanties, poems and all sorts of other things, this is the first I've heard of the Lobster Salad. If I run across anything, I'll be sure to let you know. Good luck to you!

Subject: RE: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From: 1979
Date: 27 Oct 99 - 06:15 PM

Come on! dosen't anyone know anything about The Lobster Salad

Subject: Wanted: Lobster Salad in Newfoundland
From: 1979
Date: 26 Oct 99 - 08:19 AM

HI I'm looking for a song that I think is called the Lobster Salad. I heard this song alot as a kid in Newfoundland called Jiggs Dinner. The Lobster Salad was a kind of recitation done by Joey Smallwood (first premeir of Newfoundland Canada).