Lyr Req: Lines upon the Water (Sheila Douglas)

Subject: Lyr. Req. Lines upon the Water
From: GUEST,Shanty Kees
Date: 24 Oct 00 - 01:01 PM

Is there anyone who can help me to the words of the song Lines upon the Water. I heard it last weekend sung by 2 Ladies from Scotland on a festival. The song is about fishing.

Subject: Lyr Add: LINES UPON THE WATER (Sheila Douglas)
From:
Date: 24 Oct 00 - 04:39 PM

LINES UPON THE WATER
(Sheila Douglas)

(Chorus)
How many fish are in the sea
No' enough for you and me
So they say there'll have to be
Lines upon the water

Oor fishermen say it must be war
Their livelihoods they're fighting for
So they've drawn a line twelve miles from the shore
Lines upon the water

Captain Kent sailed owre the faem
Tae catch a sprat far fae his hame
An' prove by playin' sic a game
Ye can't draw lines on water

The court has fined him thirty grand
An' say it is the law o' the land
But Captain Kent just waved his hand
An' said it's only money

Wha is richt an' wha is wrang
Wha's tae say the fish belang
Tae them or us? The weak an strang
Are aye in disagreement

Fish cannae read an' dinnae ken
The unco ways o' fishermen
An' they have never seen the pen
That draws lines on the water

Subject: RE: Lyr. Req. Lines upon the Water
From:
Date: 24 Oct 00 - 04:56 PM

A quote from the booklet of the same name by Sheila Douglas:

LINES UPON THE WATER

"With the coming of the Common Market and European Union, there have never been any shortage of disputes of one kind or another. Fishing grounds have been one such area which has been hotly disputed between European Union partners The inspiration for this song was a particular incident in the mid-1980s concerning a Danish fisherman, captain Kent, who was caught breaching EC rules. Concern had been expressed about dwindling fish stocks in the North Sea and the threat to UK fishermen's livelihoods from foreign boats fishing in UK waters, so the government decided to impose a limit round the UK where only UK boats could fish. The absurdity of the idea in the song sums up for me the stupidity of bureaucracy, that thinks human problems can be solved by making rules. The tune is that of the children's song called Coulter's Candy"

Subject: RE: Lyr. Req. Lines upon the Water
From: Shanty Kees
Date: 26 Oct 00 - 02:22 PM

Jacko,

Thank you very much for the words to the song and for the background information. Being not from Scotland it was impossible to understand all the words. Thanks again.

Shanty Kees Holland