Lyr Add: The Fisherman's Boy

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Fisherman's Boy
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 13 Jul 10 - 02:14 AM

I have an album with bill jones singing it. Where is she now, does anyone know?
Sal

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Fisherman's Boy
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Jul 10 - 10:40 PM

The text of THE POOR FISHERMAN'S BOY can be found in an article "A Glance at the Minstrelsy of the Middlesex Border" by Georqe Gilfillagain, in Tait's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 22 (Edinburgh: Sutherland & Knox, June, 1855), page 356.

It has only minor differences in wording from the version posted above, so I see no need to post it again.

That is the oldest complete version of the song I can find with Google Books, although I found the first verse quoted as early as 1835, in The Dens of London Exposed, anonymous (London: "Published by the author," 1835), page 97.

The Bodleian Library has several broadsides, titled either FISHERMAN'S BOY or THE POOR FISHERMAN'S BOY, printed in London and Birmingham, beginning "It was down in the lowlands a poor boy did wander ...". I didn't look at all of them, but one that I did look at was very close to the text posted above.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Fisherman's Boy
From: Little Robyn
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 05:02 PM

That tune sounds like 'Bonny Gateheed Lass'!

A much cheerier song than the words above.

"To my delight, she said 'I might'
Me bonny Gatesheed lass'

Robyn

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Fisherman's Boy
From: Artful Codger
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 04:51 PM

#1 Peasant informs me that the source for the above is Come You Not from Newcastle., "A Collection of North Country Songs", Gwen Polwarth, Frank Graham, Newcastle, 1972.

Subject: Lyr Add: The Fisherman's Boy
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 11 Jun 04 - 10:09 AM

^^
The Fisherman's Boy

T'was down in the lowlands a poor boy did wander,
Down in the lowlands a poor boy did roam,
Byh his friends he was neglected, he looked so dejected,
Cry'd the poor little fisher boy so far away from home.

Crying where is my cottage, oh where is my father,
Alas they're all gone, which caused me to roam;
My mother died upon her pillow while my father was on the billow,
Cried the poor fisherman's boy, I'm far away from home.

Bitter was the night and loud roar'd the thunder,
The lightning =did flash, while the ship was overcome;
The boat soon I clasped and reached my native shore,
In the deep I left my father so far away from home.

I waited on the beach while around me dash'd the water,
I waited on the beach, but alas no father came,
So now I am a stranger exposed to every danger,
Cried the poor little fisherman's boy so far away from home.

A lady when she heard him quick open'd her window,
And into the house she bid him for to come;
The tears fell from her eyes as she listened to the cries,
Of the poor little fisherman's boy so far away from home.

She begged of her father to find him employment,
She begged of her father no more to let him roam,
Her father said don't grieve me, the boy shall never leave me,
Poor boy I will relieve thee so far away from home.

Many years he laboured to please his noble master,
Many years he laboured, in time became a man,
And now he tells each stranger the hardship and the danger
Of the poor little fisherman's boy so far away from home.

X: 1
T:The Fisherman's Boy
M:2/4
L:1/8
S:Polwarth
K:Bb
|D| G2 A F| G2 A {=B} c| d2 c A|
(GF) D2| G2 A A| G2 A {=B} c| d2 =e e|
d2 A A| d d =e e| (d>c) A A| c c d> G|
G F D D | (G>B) A F | G G A c|
d> A =B G| G3||