"Great Big Sea"

No personal notes.

From The Session;

Published in Gerald S. Doyle's "Old-Time Songs And Poetry Of Newfoundland: Songs Of The People From The Days Of Our Forefathers" (Second edition, p.27, 1940; Third edition, p.25, 1955).

Based on a real event in 1920 when a storm struck in around Long Beach and Canaille, Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland, and pushed the beach across the road and up around the Keough home. (Ref:Neil V. Rosenburg, professor of Folklore, Memorial University)

Lyrics

A Great Big Sea Hove in Long Beach

A Great Big Sea hove in Long Beach,
  Right fal-or-al taddle diddle I-do,
A Great Big Sea hove in Long Beach,
  And Granny Snooks she lost her speech,
  To me right fol-didy fol-dee.

A Great Big Sea hove in the Harbour,
  Right fal-or-al taddle diddle I-do,
A Great Big Sea hove in the Harbour,
  And hove right up to Keough's Parlour,
  To me right fol-didy fol-dee.

"Oh, mother dear, I wants a sack,"
  Right fal-or-al taddle diddle I-do,
"Oh, mother dear, I wants a sack,
  With beads and buttons down the back,"
  To me right fol-didy fol-dee.

"Me boot is broke, me frock is tore,"
  Right fal-or-al taddle diddle I-do,
"Me boot is broke, me frock is tore,
  But Georgie Snooks I do adore,"
  To me right fol-didy fol-dee.

"Oh, fish is low and flour is high,"
  Right fal-or-al taddle diddle I-do,
"Oh, fish is low and flour is high,
  So Georgie Snooks he can't have I."
  To me right fol-didy fol-dee.

"But he will have me in the fall,"
  Right fal-or-al taddle diddle I-do,
"If he don't I'll hoist my sail,
  And say goodbye to old Canaille,"
  To me right fol-didy fol-dee.