Johnny the Fisherman

I am an old fisherman Johnny is my name
And I'm named for my father and his father just the same
I'll tell you my story and it won't take me long
Just a little bit of fiddle and a little bit of song

I was two years old when I first saw the land
I was born with a jigging line in my hand
There's never been a fish I've ever seen yet
I couldn't bring ashore in my little herring net

I married me a girl at the age of twenty-two
She had sparkling eyes like the ocean blue
I have five brothers and I have five sons
And they all are fishermen each and every one

I can sail anything you can show me that'll float
Come along I'll take you fishing in my little fishing boat
We'll catch us a whale and we'll bring him back to land
Then we'll cook him up in butter in a big frying pan

Now my face is wrinkled and my hair's getting gray
I'll be out on the ocean on my very last day
The cares of the world I will forget
And they'll haul me up to heaven in a gold fishing net

It looks like a storm a blowing this away
If it is I won't be working tomorrow or today
We'll drink some rum and howl at the moon
And I'll dance you a jig if you fiddle me a tune


(© 1980 by Harvey Reid)

Originally recorded on #102 "A Very Old Song"

Re-released on #106 "Overview"