WHALE SONG
Fiddler's Green Lyrics

If I had the wings of a gull me boys, I'd spread them and fly home
I wish I could fly like a bird and leave this place. I want to go back home where there are no right whales left to catch.

I'd leave old Greenland's icy ground for of right whales there is none
In Greenland, there are no more right whales to catch, so there's no point in staying here anymore.

And the weather's rough and the winds do blow and there's little comfort here
The weather in Greenland is bad, with strong winds and no comfort. It's not a pleasant place to be.

I'd sooner be snug in an Edinburg pub a-drinking of strong beer
I'd rather be in a cozy Edinburgh pub, drinking strong beer and enjoying myself.

Oh a man must be mad or want money bad to venture catching whales
Only a crazy or desperate man would want to catch whales for money.

For he may be drowned when the whale turns around or his head be smashed by the tail
Catching whales is a dangerous job, as the whale can turn around and kill or injure the man trying to catch it.

Though the work seems grand to the young green hand and his heart is high when he goes
Despite the dangers, young sailors may be excited to try whale hunting and feel proud of their work.

In a very short burst you'll hear the curse and the cry of 'There she blows'
Whale hunters will quickly go from feeling proud to cursing and shouting when they spot a whale.

Now there she blows again
Another whale has been spotted.

This fight is all insane
Whale hunting is a crazy battle with a dangerous animal.

It's time for mutiny
It's time to rebel against the captain and end this miserable life on the ship.

To end this misery
Mutiny is the only way to escape the misery of whale hunting.

So take me home where I belong
I want to go back to the place where I truly belong - not on this ship in Greenland.

I won't go on with sth. wrong
I refuse to continue doing something that I know is wrong - like whale hunting.

Don't count on me and set me free
Don't expect me to participate in the cruel act of whale hunting. I want to be free from this life.

It's time to end that misery
It's time to put an end to the misery of whale hunting and start living a better life.

All hands on deck now for God's sake, move briskly if you can
Everyone needs to hurry and get to work on the deck of the ship.

And you stumble on deck both dizzy and sick, and for the life you don't give a damn
Sailors are often seasick and tired, and they don't care if they live or die while hunting whales.

And high overhead the great fish sped and the mate gave the whale the iron
The whale was swimming fast overhead, and the mate threw a harpoon (the iron) to catch it.

And soon the blood in a purple flood from the spout whole comes a-flying
After the whale was hit, its blood sprayed out from a wound on its back, creating a gruesome sight.

These trails we bear for nigh four years till the ship she points for home
The sailors endure this unpleasant life of whale hunting for almost four years until the ship finally returns home.

We're due for our toil a bonus on the oil and an equal share of the bone
After four years of whale hunting, the sailors get a bonus for the oil and an equal share of the whale bones.

When we go to the agent to settle for the trip when we find we've cause to lament
When the sailors go to settle their pay for the trip, they realize that they haven't earned much and are disappointed.

For we slaved away four years of our lives and earned about three pounds ten
After four years of hard work and danger, the sailors only earned a measly amount of money.