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Help: Fishin songs / Fishing songs

20 Mar 00 - 02:19 PM (#198169)
Subject: Fishin songs
From: GUEST,Ted Brooks

Hi- I'm looking for some funny songs about fish and fishing. The songs can be either about people going fishing, or by a fish or fishes about the people that are trying to catch them. Or, if anyone has any ideas of popular songs that could be parodies I'd appreciate that also. Thanks in advance.

Ted Brooks tedbrooks@earthlink.net

20 Mar 00 - 02:40 PM (#198181)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Amos

Ted:

Try the database entries on this search page which is the result of putting "fish" into our DT search engine above. There are all kinds there for starters.

20 Mar 00 - 03:00 PM (#198195)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Metchosin

or if you want, I know a wonderfully naughty one called "Freddy the Fisherman's Son" as sung by Rusty Warren or someone like that.

20 Mar 00 - 03:50 PM (#198218)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: SDShad

Another delightful fishin' song is Taj Mahal's "Fishin' Blues," lyrics to which can be found in This here old thread.

It's a fun song.

Chris

20 Mar 00 - 03:58 PM (#198223)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Clifton53

How's about "Windy Ol' Weather"? Don't know who wrote it but the version I have is by Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers on one of their live recordings. It's a great sing-a-long.

Clifton53

20 Mar 00 - 04:20 PM (#198230)
Subject: Lyr Add: FREDDY THE FISHERMAN'S SON^^
From: Metchosin

Off the top of my head, here is what I can remember and as far as I know, Ruth Wallis' songs from the late 1950's or early 1960's, on what were known as "party records", are still available on CD. Apparently she was banned in the US during that era, but was freely available in Canada and other countries.

Freddy the Fisherman's Son
(Ruth Wallis)

Freddy the fisherman's son
He's got all the girls on the run
With his pole in his hand
He goes fishing on land
That way he say's it's more fun

Freddy knows how the girls feel
When they see his rod they all reel
And this fabulous rod
Measures over a yard
And a thing like that
You can't conceal.

Under the moon
He hollers "Harpoon!"
That means Freddy is at it again
In some litlle nook
He is dropping his hook
Playing the old fishing game

When Freddy goes fishing at night
He carries a great big flashlight
And I know it sound odd
Its tied on to his rod
The girls know his sinker by sight

When Freddy was only a boy
His pole was his only toy
His Dad said you can bend it
And ever extend it
But once it gets broken
You never can mend it
Then he had the awfulest fright
He had just put his pole out of sight
When some dizzy dame
Who was searching for fame
Tried to carver her initials one night.

He'll always remember
That day in September
He almost ran into his fate
He met a big barracuda
Just up from Bermuda
And she wouldn't let go of his bait.
He sure had a narrow escape
Took days to ge back into shape
His rod was all bent
And it had a big dent
But he soon patched it up with scotch tape

There is one more verse but I can't recall the whole thing.

20 Mar 00 - 05:04 PM (#198241)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Pinetop Slim

Ever notice how some threads put a song into your mind that you wish it hadn't have? Drat, now I'll be trying to remember "Old (something or other)" that Walter Brennan talked through around 1960, about a big old fish he couldn't catch, leading up to the line: "maybe next time I'll even use a little bait."
Si Kahn's "Wild Rose of the Mountain" has a verse that goes something like:
If I had a pickup truck, I'd fill her up with water
Paint a catfish on the side, make believe I caught 'er
Drive 'er down the road real slow, try to keep from bumpin'
Park 'er down beside the creek, watch those catfish jumpin'

20 Mar 00 - 05:37 PM (#198253)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Metchosin

Mark, I know what you mean. The only way I could stop the stupid Freddy the Fisherman song from playing in my head was to post it and I hadn't thought of it in years.

20 Mar 00 - 06:33 PM (#198285)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: GUEST,Jim Dixon

I vaguely recall a kid's song about herring that I can't find in DigiTrad. It goes,

"What shall we do with the herrin's head? . . . We'll make it into loaves of bread. Herrin's head, loaves of bread, And all manner of things."

It's one of those cumulative songs (is that the right term?) where the verses keep getting longer as more parts of the herring are added:

"Herrin's tail, boat with a sail, Herrin's fins, needles and pins" and so on.

If anyone can supply the rest of the song, it would be a good addition to DigiTrad.

20 Mar 00 - 06:38 PM (#198287)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: dick greenhaus

DT does have at least one version: HERRING'S HEAD

20 Mar 00 - 08:51 PM (#198361)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Bill in Alabama

markf--
Where can I find Si Kahn's lyrics to Wild Rose of the Mountain?

The Walter Brennan thing you mentioned is, I think, Old Rivers.

Bill

20 Mar 00 - 09:52 PM (#198389)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Malcolm Douglas

"WINDY OLD WEATHER", which Clinton53 mentioned, may be found on the DT: there are at least three versions there. A search may not get you all of them, so click here and here and here. Oh, and here.

The Crab (Cray) Fish is also worth checking out (if you like toilet jokes!); again, a simple search may not get both versions on the DT, so click here and here. Whoever posted those last two didn't include any background information or tunes, but the song is very widespread, so information shouldn't be too hard to find.

Malcolm

20 Mar 00 - 10:06 PM (#198400)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Stewie

Bill,

You'll find it here

click here

The URL is http://www.sikahn.com/albums/doing_my_job.html

--Stewie.

21 Mar 00 - 01:06 AM (#198489)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Arkie

Five Pound Bass, by Robert Earl Keen. This is not a song, but Junior Samples of Hee Haw fame hit the big time with his "fish" story. I'm not sure anyone but Junior could successfully tell it though. Does Jonah and the Whale qualify?

21 Mar 00 - 06:43 AM (#198542)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: GUEST,Bill in Alabama

Much obliged, Stewie.

Bill

21 Mar 00 - 08:19 AM (#198577)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Lady McMoo

How about "Fisherman's Dream" as sung by Karen Matheson/Capercaillie. It's a very poignant song about the decline of the fishing industry and, if my memory serves me correctly, it's on their "Sidewaulk" CD.

All the best,

mcmoo

21 Mar 00 - 09:02 AM (#198592)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Abby Sale

See "Bold Fisherman" (that is, the 'Twinki doodle dum' version). I don't know if this is a comic song or not.

It was collected by Elie Siegmeister in upstate New York and I haven't encountered any other source. That is, I thing all known renditions come from that. I don't know where Humphrey Bogart got it for "African Queen" but wonder that too. McCurdy, from whom I learned it, sings it as a comic song, tragic as it may be.

On the other hand, I've always felt it must be a travesty of an older, legitimate ballad. Clearly, there's no relationship between "The Bold Fisherman" and "The Bold Fisherman," however. (The other one.)

Comments welcome.

21 Mar 00 - 12:10 PM (#198696)
Subject: Lyr Add: THREE LITTLE FISHIES (Saxie Dowell)^^^
From: annamill

THREE LITTLE FISHIES
Saxie Dowell

Down in the meadow in an iddy biddy pool
Swam three little fishes and a momma fishy too.
"Swim," said the momma. "Swim as fast as you can!"
And they swam and they swam right over that dam

CHO: Boop boop diddim daddum waddum choo!
Boop boop diddim daddum waddum choo!
Boop boop diddim daddum waddum choo!
And they swam and they swam right over the dam!

"Stop!" said the momma fishy, "or you will get lost."
But the three little fishes didn't want to be bossed,
So the three little fishes went out on a spree,
And they swam and they swam right out to the sea. CHO.

"Whee!" yelled the fishes. "Oh, here's a lot of fun:
To swim in the sea till the day is done."
So they swam and they swam and it was all a lark,
Till all of a sudden they met a shark. CHO.

"Help!" cried the fishes. "Oh, look at the whale!"
Quick as they could, they turned on their tails.
Back to the pool in the meadow they swam,
And they swam and they swam back over the dam. CHO.

Boy that shark almost ate us for seafood, mama!

Now here are the words again with hand movements. (Many thanks to the Yuba City Family Folks for providing these):

Down in the meadow (Palms together--out flat.)
In an iddy biddy pool, (Hands now cup together.)
Swam three little fishes (Show three fingers while swinging hand back in forth a little bit.)
And a momma fishy too! (Now swing out the thumb.)
Swim, said the Momma, Swim as fast as you can! (Now pointing and shaking your hand as if you're the mama.)
And they swam and they swam (Wiggling fingers in the air, while swinging back and forth.)
Right over that dam (While wiggling fingers in the air, sweep them to up and then over -- make a motion of them going from one side to the other, followed by a downward sweep -- you are showing the 3 little fishes swimming over that dam.)
Boop Boop (Slap your knees twice with the words.)
Diddim Daddum (Snap fingers in the air twice with the words, or with real young children clap clap.)
Waddum (Roll hands over each other in front of you without touching each hand.)
Choo! (Jerk both hands up, with thumbs leading and like they're going over your shoulders, with fingers closed together.)
Boop Boop (Slap your knees twice with the words.)
Diddim Daddum (Snap fingers in the air twice with the words, or with real young children clap clap.)
Waddum (Roll hands over each other in front of you without touching each hand.)
Choo! (Jerk both hands up, with thumbs leading and like they're going over your shoulders, with fingers closed together.)
Boop Boop (Slap your knees twice with the words.)
Diddim Daddum (Snap fingers in the air twice with the words, or with real young children clap clap.)
Waddum (Roll hands over each other in front of you without touching each hand.)
Choo (Jerk both hands up, with thumbs leading and like they're going over your shoulders, with fingers closed together.)
And they swam and they swam right over the dam! (Same motions as above for this.)

Source: Joe Offer

**********************************
I found this in a "search" Small world, huh?

Love, annap

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 12-Sep-02.

21 Mar 00 - 03:24 PM (#198806)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: MMario

What about "CHIVALROUS SHARK"? HERE!

url = http://www.mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=1167

21 Mar 00 - 06:04 PM (#198884)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Stewie

There's also Shel Silverstein's 'The Mermaid Song'. I have it on an old Jim Kweskin LP, but no doubt there are other recordings.

--Stewie.

22 Mar 00 - 01:09 PM (#199235)
Subject: Lyr Add: KEEP ON FISHIN' (Campbell)^^
From: Elektra

This darkly humourous song was written by a friend of a friend in Rhode Island. Point Judith is a tiny fishing port/town on the RI coast... and also one of two points of departure for the Block Island Ferry. This song works best when sung (verses are actually almost spoken, as in a storytelling narrative) with a regional accent which I have attempted to loosely represent below.

KEEP ON FISHIN'
by Jim (John?) Campbell (c)

Ya know sometimes you can't win for tryin
Couldn't catch a fish if fish were flyin
The nets and cables all get knotted
And the engine runs like the diesel's clotted

And nothin goes like ya think it oughtta
Ya get bag on bag on bag of water
You'd think you mighta died and gone to heaven
If you could just get a job at a 7-11

Well it was ice and rain and freezin up hard
We had three sea robins and a 7-inch cod
Takin on water, losing the rudder
And the goddamn prop made the whole boat shudder

We were halfway done haulin back
When the cable let go with a helluva crack
Took out the cook as he stood at the rail
Scrambled his eggs --- dead as a nail

Well we all stood around, thumbin our butts
We hadta do somethin but we didn't know what
And though he kinda looked under the weather
Most of us thought he'd never looked much better
But...

Chorus:
We had fuel and ice to pay and
We'd just steamed out yesterday
He was a real good hand and we sure will miss him
But we iced him down and we kept on fishin

Well if you said we were cold, I'd have to agree
But no colder than him, nearer by "cod" to thee
'Sides its quiet and peaceful under the deck an'
He couldn't say jacksh*t about it, I reckon

So while he was lying and chillin down there
We took a vote -- "yeah he'll make a whole share"
And most of us thought that was a damn good deal
Seein as how we'd had to cook our own meals
But...

(chorus)

Well it took us awhile to finish that trip
Down at the dock they gave us some lip
An' the Coast Guard come down to see what was about
But the bastards wouldn't help us lumping him out

They said we "had no respect for the dead"
But they were lucky we just didn't gut 'im and head 'im
And when it came time to go fishin again, don't you know
We couldn't find a single dude in Point Judith willing to go
But...

(chorus)

Final chorus: When you got fuel and ice to pay and
You just steamed out yesterday
You might feel bad and you might miss him
(spoken) But when you're into a big ol mess-o-fish you just gotta...
(sung)keep on fishin

Despite it's apparent length, even with instrumental breaks this song clocks in at about three minutes. If anyone is interested I can put up a small sample (1 verse + chorus?) MP3 on my website so you can get the feel of it. As a crowd pleaser (the song that is, not ME), I'd say it's worth learning.

*elektra*

22 Mar 00 - 07:42 PM (#199473)
Subject: Lyr Add: FISHIN' FOR CHICKENS (from S Kennedy)^^
From: Seamus Kennedy

I recorded this one by my friend Hobo Jim a couple of years ago.

Well, Grandpa gave me his old fishin' pole,
But we didn't have a fishin' hole.
Ah, but that didn't matter. It didn't bother either of us.
We'd sit out there on the old front porch
With a rusty an kernel corn.
We'd bait our hooks and we'd cast out in the dust.

CHORUS: Fishin' for chickens, tryin' to catch a big 'un,
White ones, black ones, yellow ones, red ones,
Don't matter just as long as I get one.
If Mama finds out, I'll just catch another lickin',
'Cause Mama don't like nobody fishin' for chickens.

2ND VERSE: I remember the time when I got in
On a feedin' frenzy in a school of hens.
I was reelin' one in when Mama came flyin' through the door.
She said, "Cut that loose, boy, before you kill it!"
I said, "He's swallowed the hook, Mama. Grease up the skillet!"
'Twas just about then I knew she'd wring my neck for sure. CHORUS

BRIDGE: Even though it wasn't right,
Me and Grandpa side by side,
Out in the early mornin' light,
Tryin' to get a rooster to bite.

3RD VERSE: I was sittin' on the top step dreamin' a bit,
When from outa nowhere that leghorn hit,
And Grandpa yelled, "Boy, that's the biggest one of them all!
If you land him, kid, well, sure enough,
We'll take him to town and have him stuffed.
We'll put him on a plaque and mount that sucker on the wall. CHORUS

All the best,
Seamus.

23 Mar 00 - 07:00 PM (#200224)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: bobby's girl

There is a wonderful spoof shanty about going Fishfingering - not surprisingly about some bloke setting sail to catch fishfingers. I am sure some knowledgeable Mudcatter will be able to supply the words.

23 Mar 00 - 07:08 PM (#200232)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: bobby's girl

If you look on the lyric search under fishfingering, the lyrics are there - sorry folks, I should have looked first!

23 Mar 00 - 07:26 PM (#200247)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: E.Michael

Hey Annap, 'Just happened to be following down this thread and thinking about the "Three Little Fishees" when I ran across your contribution. It's GREAT! It brings back memories of a dear friend who also used to know all of the verses. Thanks for the flashback. E.Michael

23 Mar 00 - 08:03 PM (#200280)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: annamill

I found this in a search after I remembered the song. Did you notice that it had been contributed, ELSEWHERE, by our own Joe Offer. What a surprise.

Love, annap

24 Mar 00 - 10:42 AM (#200682)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Steve Latimer

Elvin Bishop did a pretty catchy tune, I believe it was simply called "Fishin'". I'm sorry I have no more details, a freind of mine played it for me.

15 Nov 01 - 08:32 AM (#593105)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Kerstin

Can anyone help me with the song " The Balena " Thank you in advance

15 Nov 01 - 12:59 PM (#593356)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Deckman

One of my favorites is "Winds Away," by Gordon Bok. Bob

15 Nov 01 - 01:05 PM (#593361)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Charley Noble

Poor Kerstin. Lord only knows who many "Balenas" your appeals may dredge up. The whaling steamship song "The Old Balena" should be rattling around here somewhere. The song celebrates the speed of the ship. If it doesn't surface soon I'll type it in.

15 Nov 01 - 01:15 PM (#593370)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Charley Noble

Kerstin - I refreshed one of the old Balena threads for you. Hope it's what you were looking for.

03 May 05 - 01:24 PM (#1477170)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Ebbie

FISH ON!

"If you've ever fished on an Alaskan salmon stream, you know that when you tie into a fish, you're supposed to holler: "Fish On!", to let other folks know to get out of your way. Well, no one had prepared me for this sort of protocol, so I got myself into a real pickle with a big, burly fisherman on my first outing! This piece will never be finished, because every fishing trip is a potential new verse. (Which probably explains why no one wants to go fishing with me anymore - they're afraid they'll end up in the song!)"

Robin Hopper, Chugiak, Alaska

03 May 05 - 02:09 PM (#1477191)
Subject: RE: Help: Fishin songs
From: Alan Day

You have all reminded me of a little song I played on an eight inch seventy eight record called the "Fishy Fishing Story"
The first verse went
I once went a fishing and I caught a little fish
So small you couldn`t see it as it lay upon the dish
but My wife was rather proud of it and told a lady friend
That was the beggining now just listen to the end.

Sadly that is all I can remember but it finishes with him being eaten by a shark.
Al