Fisherman's Lament

(album: Great Big Sea - 1992)

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 what's yours or what's 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.