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SWELL MY NET FULL Lead vocal and fiddle: Peter Guitar and harmony: Richard

Roy Palmer collected this fishing song from the English bargeman Bob Roberts. In his collection Boxing The Compass, Palmer cites it as one that "may have been used to accompany rowing or net hauling, as well as for the pleasure of singing."

LYRICS:

Out on the ocean, dreary and cold
I lead the life of a fisherman bold
Chorus: So swell me net full, swell me net full
Mack'rel for Monday
Chorus: Swell me net full

Wind from the south'ard, wind from the west
Plenty of fishes will come to your mesh
So swell me net full, swell me net full
Sea trout for Tuesday
Swell me net full

Wind from the nor'ard, wind from the east
Many a haul but never a feast
So swell me net full, swell me net full
We'll fish for Wednesday,
Swell me net full

God is our master, the weather he willed
But it's with herring our bellies we'll fill
So swell me net full, swell me net full
Herring for Thursday,
Swell me net full

Stay in the harbour, look o'er the foam
For Friday's the day the devil doth own
So swell me net full, swell me net full
Nothing for Friday,
Swell me net full

Stand to your nets with needle and twine
Whether the weather be stormy or fine
So swell me net full, swell me net full
Sand-dabs for Saturday,
Swell me net full

When I do die and life in me fails
Build me a tombstone of herring-back scales
So swell me net full, swell me net full
Sole is for Sunday,
Swell me net full

NOTES:

Roy Palmer collected this fishing song from the English bargeman Bob Roberts. In his collection Boxing the Compass formerly titled The Oxford Book of Sea Songs, Palmer cites it as one that "may have been used to accompany rowing or net hauling, as well as for the pleasure of singing."