Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?

Subject: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: Compton
Date: 19 Jun 04 - 07:02 PM

Can'st help, anyone?...(Never failed yet!) Think back to "The Mysteries" at the National Theatre. There was an ensemble piece, whilst doing fishing things on stage, where tha cast sang a song that went,
"Who'll buy my herring, my bonny, bonny herring,
Who'll buy my herring, when the merry merry boats come in"

or something like that..Any thoughts??
As I don't have a proper title, I can't be sure of it not being on the DT ...but no luck so far!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 19 Jun 04 - 08:57 PM

Compton

Are you thinking of

We are three jolly fishermen
We are three jolly fishermen
We are three jolly fishermen,
While the merry, merry bells do ring.

Make haste, make haste
You'll be too late,
One fish my dear
I cannot wait
For my fine fry of herring
My bonny silver herring
Mind how you sell them
While the merry, merry bells do ring

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 19 Jun 04 - 09:04 PM

It's not in the Digitrad, but there is a previous thread (with the rest of the words), if you try searching on "Three jolly fishermen".

Kitty

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: GUEST,Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 19 Jun 04 - 09:28 PM

The name of the song is Caller Herring and it is not in the Digitrad, I will try to find the lyrics in my song book and post them here for you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 19 Jun 04 - 09:45 PM

See this earlier discussion:

Three Jolly Fishermen

... which includes a link to a broadside edition. The earlier Caller Herrin', written by Lady Nairne to a tune by Nathaniel Gow (and on which this song appears to have been based) is in the DT, though the text isn't entirely accurate and some verses have been omitted.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: masato sakurai
Date: 19 Jun 04 - 10:29 PM

See Lady Nairne's original version of CALLER HERRIN' at folkinfo.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: Compton
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 12:19 PM

How strange the memory is!! Thanks all, the words I remember were not quite like Three Jolly Fishermen ...but then it was about 20 years ago when I saw The Mysteries....speaking of which...Have I heard a rumour that the TV recordings are being issued as DVDs??. T'would be good if it was true!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 12:24 PM

What a nice thread. A request for a song, approrpiate responses and links for documentation, and even thanks for the effort.

And no horrible puns.

And no one fishing for compliments...

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: SINSULL
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 01:54 PM

There is a Herring Song on Wives' Tales, a CD by Shipping News. Might be the one you are looking for.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: Compton
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 06:28 PM

Thanks, Charley, rarely do I have daftness when I ask for help. Pwrhaps because they are USUALLY noncontentious!. Am I the only Mudcatter (old enough) to remember the original transmission of the Channel 4 broadcasts of "The Mysteries"?...which I recall had a cast to die for. John Tams, Bill Caddick, Linda Thompson, et.al.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 07:41 PM

Sadly, I missed that. Couldn't get Channel 4 in Sheffield to begin with. I did see a production at the Crucible (which was very impressive) later on, but I only have quite vague memories of it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: Mudlark
Date: 20 Jun 04 - 11:47 PM

I suppose this song has nothing to do with "What shall I do with my Jolly Herring" ??? What shall I do with my old herring's eyes, 40 jackdaws and 50 magpies, larks and linnets and everything...do you think I've done well with my Jolly Herring?"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 21 Jun 04 - 12:05 AM

You'd be right. Nothing whatever to do with it (except insofar as it has a herring in it; as does my fridge, come to that; which is also unrelated to this song).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From:
Date: 16 Jul 04 - 10:39 PM

Here is the version I learned from the late David Parry of Ottawa and Toronto. Ian Robb and John Roberts also sing it, and their harmonies, though different, start spare and grow more decorative in the later verses. It's a call-and-response, answering lines given in parentheses.

We are three jolly fishermen (we are three jolly fishermen)
We are three jolly fishermen where the merry, merry bells do ring.

CHORUS:
Make haste, make haste (you'll be too late)
One fish, my friend (I cannot wait)
For my fine fry of herring (my bonny silver herring)
Mind how you sell them where the merry, merry bells do ring.

We cast our nets into the deep...

There's white and speckled-bellied 'uns...

Lynn Noel
www.lynnoel.com

We sell them three for fourpence...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: GUEST,jennifer
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 04:20 PM

I thought someone had sent me some words from Noah's bit of the Mysteries, but it was just this:

Oh the tide (time?) will come up,
When the winds will stop,
And the breeze will cease to be a breathing,
Like a stillness in the wind,
Before the hurricane begins
The hour that our ship comes in

But what's this rumour about Mysteries on DVD?? I've got the Passion (borrowed) on video but the whole lot on DVD would be awesome!

Jennifer

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Who'll Buy My Herring?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 03 Aug 04 - 06:02 PM

A search tip (especially for those who have forgotten DOS entirely, or never used it.) An asterisk (*) is called a wild card--it represents any characher or combination of characters. F'rinstance, a search for "herring" won't turn up "herrin'} and vice versa; a search for herrin* will bring up both. Very handy for dialects.