I first heard this song, as did most people I know, from the movie “Captains Courageous”: 1937, with Spencer Tracy. Tracy plays a hurdy gurdy as he sings to himself, and the song is credited in the movie as having been “written” by Gus Kahn and Franz Waxman. In fact, they altered the verses to fit the director’s vision for the movie, but the song is largely associated with Australian folk songs of the 19th century and thought to have come, at least in part, from Portugal. The “refashioned” song is called “Manuel’s Love Song”, and the verses are listed at the bottom of this page.
I, myself, finally took notice of the melody after my dear friend the late Danny Spooner recorded it (Launch Out On The Deep 2002). It’s a perfectly made lullaby, and has been taken up by various singing groups as a simple sing-along, altering and adding verses to fit their sensibilities.
Jos. Morneault
The lyrics as sung by Danny Spooner
There’s a song in my heart
For the one I love best
And her picture is tattooed
All over my chest.
Chorus: Yeah Ho, little fishy
Don’t cry, don’t cry.
Yeah Ho, little fishy
Don’t cry, don’t cry.
Little fish when he’s caught
He fights like a bull whale
And he splashes the water
With his long, narrow tail
Chorus:
There are fish in the sea
There ain’t no doubt about it.
As good as the ones that
Ever came out of it.
Chorus:
Now the crew are asleep
And the ocean’s at rest
So I’m singing this song
For the one I love best
Chorus: 2x
Lyrics as recorded by Ed Tricket
Come all ye bold fishermen, listen to me;
I’ll sing you a song of the fish in the sea.
Yea ho, little fish, don’t cry, don’t cry;
Yea ho, little fish, you be a whale by and by.
You go to fish school and can learn from a book
How not to get caught on the fisherman’s hook.
Watch out, little fish, we’re out after you,
But you can escape away deep in the blue.
You just swim around the fisherman’s bait
And you won’t end up on the fisherman’s plate.
Lyrics from the movie “Captains Courageous”
Yeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry
Yeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry
Once Doc baked some biscuits and throw them away
Next day no more fish come around boat to play
Yeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry
Yeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry
Said Cabbage to fish cake Who lay on one dish
I beautiful cabbage You only poor fish
Yeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry
Yeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry
There’s a place in my heart For the one I love best
And I still keep her picture tattooed on my chest
Yeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry
Yeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry”