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Great Big Sea

Released in 1993

1 . Great Big Sea/Gone By The Board (Trad./Hallett)
- The traditional song that brought the boys their name. It tells the story of a tidal wave, and is followed by one of Hallett's reels.

2 . Someday Soon (Doyle)
- Doyle wrote this song about political and social ironies.

3 . Excursion Around The Bay (Trad.)
-The origins of this song lead to Johnny Burke, a turn-of-the-century song-writer from St. John's. It came to the band from Power, who learned it from Gabe Houlihan, his cousin of Flat Rock.

4 . What Are You At? (Doyle)
- Doyle wrote this song about being away from home. It only takes a few words to remind someone of home, and quickly send them back.

5 . Fisherman’s Lament (Lyrics: Edward McCann/Music/Séan McCann)
-Edward, Séan's father wrote this as a poem about the pending fate of Newfoundland's fishermen. Séan later strummed up the strong melody.

6 . I’se They B’y (Trad.)
- A popular old song brought anew, and punctuated by a fiddle jig of Cape Breton.

7 . Drunken Sailor (Trad)
- An originally slow sea shanty, speeded up and stricken with Doyle's electric guitar.

8 . Irish Paddy/Festival Reel/Roger’ Reel (Trad./Benoit/Guinchard)
- A song from Branch, St. Mary's Bay, followed by two reels from the late master fiddlers of Newfoundland, Emile Benoit amd Rufus Guinchard.

9 . Time Brings (McCann)
- A beautiful ballad about love's suffering in time, written by McCann and sung by Doyle.

10 . Jigs: Eavesdropper’s/Both Meat & Drink/Off We Go (Trad./Reavy/Trad.)
- Eavesdropper's Jig originates from Tickle Harbour, Both Meat & Drink from the Irish-American Ed Reavy, and Off We Go a popular Newfoundland tune, brought to the band from Ed Lear.

11 . Berry Picking Time (Trad.)
- The Doyle family in Petty Harbour preserved this song, it being a favourite of Alan's grandfather.

Great Big Sea/Gone By the Board
(Traditional/Bob Hallett)

Great big sea hove in Long Beach,
Whack fal-o-ral tad-dle did-dle i-do,
Great big sea hove in Long Beach,
Granny Snooks she lost her speech,
To me right fol-di-dy fol-dee.

Great big sea hove in the Harbour
Whack fal-o-ral tad-dle did-dle i-do,
Great big sea hove in the Harbour
Hove right up to Keough's Parlour
To me right fol-di-dy fol-dee.

Mother, dear I wants a sack
Whack fal-o-ral tad-dle did-dle i-do,
Mother, dear I wants a sack
With beads and buttons all down me back
To me right fol-di-dy fol-dee.

"Me boot is broke, me frock is tore
Whack fal-o-ral tad-dle did-dle i-do,
Boot is broke, me frock is tore
But Granny Snooks I do adore.
To me right fol-di-dy fol-dee.

Fish is gone and the flour is high
Whack fal-o-ral tad-dle did-dle i-do,
Fish is gone and the flour is high
Granny Snooks she can't have I
To me right fol-di-dy fol-dee.

She will have me in the fall
Whack fal-o-ral tad-dle did-dle i-do,
If she don't I'll hoist my sail
Hove right up to old Canaille.
To me right fol-di-dy fol-dee.

Great big sea hove in Long Beach,
Whack fal-o-ral tad-dle did-dle i-do,
Great big sea hove in Long Beach,
Granny Snooks she lost her speech,
To me right fol-di-dy fol-dee.

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Someday Soon
(Alan Doyle)

They keep talking of the things they'd do if we'd only vote them in
One more dollar and all the bickering and suffering would end.
If you'd sign your 'X' in favour it's three jobs for every man
You can burn your boats, thats what they said,
It seemed they had it planned.
And I hope they haven't forgotten, the promises they made

Chorus:
Cause they said they'd stop the fighting
And they said they would bring peace
And they said they'd find a serum that can cure all our disease.
And they said they'd house the homeless
And put black and white in tune
And they said they'd feed a hungry child
And I hope it's someday soon

Saw a man sleep in an alley lane with a paper for a bed
And the headline shown beneath the man and this is what they read,
"If elected there would be no persons living in the street"
But the paper couldn't even provide shelter for his freezing feet.
And I hope they haven't forgotten, The promises they made

Chorus
Well they said it would be so different, if we'd would only play their games
And I've been playing for so long and I swear its still the same!

Chorus x 2

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Excursion Around the Bay
(Traditional)

Well, it was on this monday morning
And the day be calm and fine
A harbour grace excursion
With the boys who had the time
And just before the sailor
Took the gangway from the pier
I saw some fellow haul me wife
Aboard as a volunteer

Chorus:
Oh me, oh my, I heard me old wife cry
Oh me, oh my, I think I'm gonna die!
Oh me, oh my, I heard me old wife say,
"I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay"

We had fourteen hundred souls aboard, oh what a splendid sight!
Left stong and regimental to make our spirits bright
And meself being in the double, when a funny things they'd say
They choke themselves from laughing when they'd see us in the bay

Chorus
Me wife she got no better, she turned a sickly green
I fed her cake and candy, fat pork and kerosene
Castor Oil and sugar of candy, I rubbed pure oil on her face
And I said she'll be a dandy when we reaches Harbour Grace!

Chorus
My wife she got no better, my wife me darling dear
The screeches from her trollear could hear in Carbonear
I tried every place in Harbour Grace,
Tried every store and shop,
To get her something for a cure or take her to the hop

Chorus
She died below the brandy's as we were coming back
We buried her in the ocean, wrapped up in a Union Jack
So now I am a single man, in search of a pretty face
And the woman that says she'll have me, I'm off for Harbour Grace!

Chorus

----------------------------

What Are Ya' At?
(Alan Doyle)

Well I was walking in a mainland city
And I was feeling so alone
I was looking for someone or thing to remind me of my home

What I wouldn't give to have somebody nod or wink at me
'Cause thats the way we say hello in my home down by the sea

We never say "Hello" or "How's it going?", "Good day" or any of that
We just look at them and nod our heads or wink and say 'What are ya'at?'

Chorus:
Whadd'ya At? How's she going buddy, Whadd'ya At today?
Whadd'ya At? How's she going buddy, Whadd'ya At today?

But then I walked into a shopping mall and much to my surprise
An old friend from my hometown was a sight for my sore eyes
And of all the people I met there in the city or in the mall
I think I like my hometown friend the best one of them all
Because he didn't say "Hello" or "How's it going?", "Good day" or any of that
My old friend he just looked at me and smiled said 'What are ya'at?'

Chorus

Everybody must say 'What are ya'at?'
Altogether now

Chorus

Let this be a lesson to all our people who go away
Remember if you meet someone the special words we say
We don't ever say "Hello" or "How's it going?", "Good day"
Or any of that.
You just look at them and nod your head now wink and say 'What are ya'at?'

Chorus

Now I said, 'What are ya'at?'!

----------------------------

Fisherman's Lament
(Ed McCann/Séan McCann)

I stand in my doorway as the moon rises high
Over glorious ocean, reflects the bright sky
My heart it is aching, so much I could die
I've known only the ocean, since I was a boy

Chorus:
And I spent my whole life, out there on the sea
Some government bastard now takes it from me
It's not just the fish, they've taken my pride
I feel so ashamed that I just want to hide

I fished with my father, so long long ago
We were proud of our trade, and in us it did show
We held our heads high, there was lots of fish then
That was the time, when we were proud men

We challenged great storms and sometimes we won
Faced death and disaster, we rose with the sun
We worked and we toiled, we strained our men brane
We were a proud people, will we ere be again?

Chorus
My father is gone now, and the fish are gone too.
Abused and mis-managed, oh what can we do?
I'm too old to change, but what of my sons,
How will they know that we weren't the ones?

DFO regulations permitted the rape
Of our beautiful ocean, from head land to cape
They brought in big trollers, they tore up our twine
Politians don't care for whats yours or whats mine!

Chorus
You brave Newfoundlanders, now listen to me
Shove the package to hell, go back to the sea
If we don't stand our ground, we will fade away
And the bones of our fathers will turn into clay

And I spent my whole life, out there on the sea
Some government bastard now takes it from me
It's not just the fish, they've taken my pride
I feel so ashamed that I just want to die.

Back to the sea.

----------------------------

I'se the B'y
(Traditional)

I'se The B'y that builds the boat and
I'se The B'y that sails her and
I'se The B'y that catches the fish and
Brings 'em home to Liza

Chorus:
Hip-yer-partner Sally Tibbo
Hip-yer-partner Sally Brown
Fogo, Twillingate, Morton's Harbour,
All around the circle

Sods and rinds to cover your flake,
Cake and tea for supper
Cod fish in the spring of the year,
Fried in maggoty butter

Chorus
I don't want your maggoty fish
They're no good for winter
Well I can buy as good as that,
Way down in Bonavista!

Chorus
I took Liza to a dance,
As fast as she can travel,
And every step that she could take,
Was up to her knees in gravel

Chorus
Susan White she's outta sight,
Her petticoat wants a border,
Well old Sam Oliver in the dark,
He kissed her in the corner!

Chorus
I'se The B'y that builds the boat and
I'se The B'y that sails her and
I'se The B'y that catches the fish and
Brings 'em home to Liza

Chorus

----------------------------

Drunken Sailor
(Traditional)

What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
Earl-eye in the morning!

Chorus:
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Earl-eye in the morning

Shave his belly with a rusty razor,
Shave his belly with a rusty razor,
Shave his belly with a rusty razor,
Earl-eye in the morning!

Chorus
Put him in the hold with the Captain's daughter,
Put him in the hold with the Captain's daughter,
Put him in the hold with the Captain's daughter,
Earl-eye in the morning!

Chorus
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
Earl-eye in the morning!

Chorus
Put him the back of the paddy wagon,
Put him the back of the paddy wagon,
Put him the back of the paddy wagon,
Earl-eye in the morning!

Chorus
Throw him in the lock-up 'til he's sober,
Throw him in the lock-up 'til he's sober,
Throw him in the lock-up 'til he's sober,
Earl-eye in the morning!

Chorus
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
Earl-eye in the morning!

Chorus
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
Earl-eye in the morning!

Chorus

----------------------------

Irish Paddy/Festival Reel
(Traditional)

Its of an Irishman I'm going to tell you
Free from Ireland sailed away
Where he was to he was not contended
Made up his mind for to go away

Early next morning the ship was sailing
Queenstown harbour, the Cobh of Cork
Eight long days he was sailing over
Till he landed in New York

Up the street young Paddy wandered
Each big building caught his eye
Looking up at a big shop window,
A bottle of whisky he did spy

Into the bar young Paddy entered
Called for a drink, without delay
Give me a drop of that Irish Whisky,
Four big coppers I will pay

The landlord he jumped over the counter
"Pay me down that bill", he said
Paddy up with a big shillelagh
Laid him on the floor right dead

So the Yankees they came running
When they heard about the row
Trying to kill poor Irish Paddy,
Shouting out, "Where is he now?!"

Irishmen they followed after
Following without delay
Each of them with a big shillelagh,
Made the Yankees run away

May God's success to his Irish people
Many's the country they have roamed
But their courage is far bolder
When they're far away from home

----------------------------

Time Brings
(Séan McCann)

Hearken to me both high and low
I'll sing for you a song
Of Kings and Queens, and rose-lipped maidens
Courting light foot lads

Now love is grand, when love is new
The heart blood, it runs strong
There's nothing a doting lad won't do
To keep his princess warm

He'll tease her with poems and promises
He'll ask her out to dance
He'll cajole and he'll beg
And he'll always win
In bitter-sweet romance

Chorus:
For time it comes, and time it goes
It makes the strongest tree to bend
Kings and Queens have no defence
Time brings all things to an end.

But he goes out, with his drinking pals
His eyes begin to roam
He forgets all about the brown-eyed beauty
Who now, sits home alone

There's no more walks, down lover's lane
There's no more wine in the sun
All that's left is a hollow pain
Time, alas you've won

Chorus
Now all who wish for love to stay
And last your whole life through
Keep ahead of time me boys
And never be untrue

Chorus

----------------------------
Jigs: Eavesdropper's/Both Meat and Drink/Off We Go
(Traditional)

----------------------------

Berry Picking Time
(Traditional)

Well I spied a berry bush as I was strolling home one day
And somehow it brought back the bygone days
Of when you and I were berry picking many years ago
In a little county not so far away

How well I do remember the day when we first met
It leaves a picture in my mind I never can forget

Chorus:
We were picking berries at Old Aunt Mary's
When I picked a blushing bride
As we strolled home together, I just wondered whether
I could win you forever if I tried
Then at love's suggestion, I popped the question
And asked you to be mine
By your kisses I knew, you'd picked me and I'd picked you
At berry picking time

Chorus
Well how sweet you were that day, in your simple gingham gown
To me you were as lovely as a Queen
When from underneath your bonnet popped a pair of golden curls
And the bluest eyes that I have ever seen
Your lips were red as cherries, the taste was twice as sweet
It only took one kiss to make my happiness complete

Chorus

Piczo