Saltfish Trader (Shanneyganock) with lyrics and video

#1724: YouTube video by musiccreatures1 ©2011.
~ Used with permission ~

As we slipped our lines at Harvey's Wharf,
That cold November day,
With sails full reef and sighed relief,
To be finally on our way.
Tip your hat to the blockhouse flag,
As you pass by South Head Light;
Give a wave to the missus, you know that she'll miss ya,
You got the ship and your crew in command.

And it's heave to the southard,
Catch the wind while you can;
And it's heave to the southard,
You may never see your homes again.

Now you dip, dive and roll all along by the shore,
With the sea breakin' over your bow;
Make sure the hatches are all dogged down,
And your cargo is safe in the hold.
As day turns dark that's when sailors fear,
For that's when things go wrong;
The wind comes up and the fog sets in,
Every minute seems an hour long.

And it's heave to the southard,
Catch the wind while you can;
And it's heave to the southard,
You may never see your homes again.

See the sun kiss the sky in the early dawn,
You made it okay through the night;
Go below for a rest, you've been put to the test,
You brought her through alright.
Now secure in port on some southern isle,
Trade your saltfish for lassy and rum;
Do a quick turn around, then your homeward bound,
In the same wake you made coming down.

And it's heave to the north,
Catch the wind while you can;
And it's heave to the north,
You may never see your homes again.

Trade winds carry us back again,
Home to our own native shore;
With help from above and a nice gentle shove,
We'll roll up the eastern seaboard.

Now when off St. John's, put your house-flag up high,
So they'll see it upon widow's walk;
Today there's no tears, women wait on the pier,
Now they stroll with their men on the dock.
But piled high on the wharf is saltfish for the south,
And you see your boat's name on the stack;
You tell all of your crew to enjoy their time off,
'Cause in five days they'll be headin' back.

And it's heave to the southard,
Catch the wind while you can;
And it's heave to the southard,
You may never see your homes again.

And it's heave to the southard,
Catch the wind while you can;
And it's heave to the southard,
Catch the wind....

####.... Mark Hiscock of Fort Amherst, NL ....####

See more songs by Mark Hiscock.

Recorded by Shanneyganock (Volume VII, trk#13, 2009 CD, Independent, produced by Jason Whelan and recorded at Great Big Studio, St. John's, NL).

The YouTube video above features a video made from Gerry Boland's film collection (Newfoundland and Labrador Journey - Shanneyganock and Gerry Boland, trk#8, 2010 DVD).

Liner Notes:
Long time friends Gerry Boland and Chris Andrews often talked about combining the music of Shanneyganock with highlights from the thousands of hours of video footage Gerry had filmed over the decades. Journey over land, sea and air, through the lens of Gerry Boland. Four decades of beautiful scenery showcasing Newfoundland and Labrador at its most majestic, natural and untouched.

Additional Note:
In the 19th century, Harvey & Company were commission and ship merchants located on the waterfront at 109 Water Street in St. John's, NL.

See more songs by Shanneyganock.

From the Dictionary Of Newfoundland English:
House-flag - distinctive flag or pennant of a firm engaged in the fisheries, seal hunt, etc.
Lassy - alternative form for molasses, the thick dark or light brown syrup produced in the manufacture of sugar; also lasses, molassy.
Southard - southward; southwards.
Trader - entrepreneur and vessel owner who purchases fish from fishermen in exchange for cash or supplies, operating outside the established merchant structure and truck system.

From Wikipedia:
Saltfish - since the 1700s people from the island of Newfoundland brought dried and salted cod (salt cod) for the Jamaicans in order to trade for rum. Salt cod is now one of the main ingredients for ackee and saltfish, a traditional Jamaican dish, internationally known as Jamaica's national dish.
Widow's Walk - railed rooftop platform, typically on a coastal house, originally designed to observe vessels at sea; roofwalk.

From the Marine Institute Nautical Terminology:
Saltfish - fish treated with salt solution, or mixture of salts.

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