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No More Fish, No Fishermen

from The Old Songs’ Home by Shelley Posen

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© 1996 Shelley Posen Well Done Music BMI
Tune: “See Amid the Winter Snow”
—John Goss

lyrics

Out along the harbour reach
Boats stand dried up on the beach
Ghost-like in the early dawn
Empty, now the fish are gone.

What will become of people now?
Try to build a life somehow
Hard, hard times are back again
No more fish, no fishermen.

No more shoppers in the stores
Since the fish plant closed its doors
Men who walked a trawler’s decks
Now line up for welfare cheques.

There’s big “For Sale” signs everywhere
Pockets empty, cupboards bare
See it on the news at ten—
No more fish, no fishermen.

Once from Ship Cove to Cape Race
Port aux Basques to Harbour Grace
Newfoundlanders fished for cod
Owing merchants, trusting God.

They filled their dories twice a day
They fished their poor sweet lives away
They could not imagine then
No more fish, no fishermen.

Back before the Second War
We could catch our fish inshore
Boats were small and gear was rough
We caught fish, but left enough.

And now there’s no more fish because
The trawler fleets took all there was
We could see it coming then—
No more fish, no fishermen.

Farewell now to stage and flake
Get out for the children’s sake
Leave all friends and kin behind
Take whatever job you find.

There’s some that say things aren’t so black
They say the fish will all come back
Who’ll be here to catch them then?
No more fish, no fishermen.

credits

from The Old Songs’ Home, released January 1, 2003

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Shelley Posen Ottawa, Ontario

SHELLEY POSEN is a Canadian songwriter and performer of his own and traditional songs. He writes in many styles and on many subjects. His songs are widely recognized for their wit, craftsmanship, and the profound effect many seem to have on listeners.

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