{"id":5121,"date":"2018-12-26T14:49:39","date_gmt":"2018-12-26T18:49:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejovialcrew.com\/?page_id=5121"},"modified":"2021-02-20T17:09:18","modified_gmt":"2021-02-20T21:09:18","slug":"the-merman-or-the-pretty-maid-with-a-tail","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thejovialcrew.com\/?page_id=5121","title":{"rendered":"The Merman, or The Pretty Maid With a Tail"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a Broadside ballad published by T. Pearson, Manchester, England, 1850s.\u00a0 Melody adapted by Jos. Morneault \u2013 Dec 2018.\u00a0 Obscure little ditty that pops up in the ballad tradition of Maritime Canada and even then not encountered so often.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u00a0.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0D\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0G\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0D\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0A\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0D<\/strong>
\nTwas in the month of January, away in the southern seas,
\n\u00a0.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0D\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0G\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 D\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 D<\/strong>
\nOur ship lay at anchor near a coral reef, awaiting for a breeze;
\nOur captain he was down below, and the men lay all about,
\nWhen from under our bow we heard a cry and then a regular shout.<\/p>\n

Singing\u2026
\n.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0G\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 D\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0D\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 A<\/strong>
\nChorus:\u00a0 Blow ye winds, I oh, blow ye winds y\u2019heave ho.
\n. D\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 D7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 G\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 D\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 A\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 D<\/strong>
\nClear away the morning dew, and blow ye winds, I oh!<\/p>\n

\u201cA man over-board,\u201d the watch cried out and forward all of us ran,
\nWhen hanging on to our best bower chain was a jolly old bluff merman;
\nHis hair was red, his eyes was black, and his mouth as large as three,
\nAnd the long green tail he sat upon was a waddling down in the sea.<\/p>\n

\u201cHallo!\u201d our mate called out so bold, \u201cwhat cheer, messmate,\u201d said he
\n\u201cWell I wants to see thy captain; I\u2019s a question to ask of he.\u201d
\nOur captain then he came on deck and looked at the waters blue,
\nSaying, \u201ctell me, my man, as fast as you can, what favour can I do for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYe\u2019ve dropp\u2019d thy anchor afore me house and blocked up me only door,
\nAnd me wife can\u2019t get out to roam about, nor me chicks one, two, three, and four;
\n\u2018Twould break thy heart to hear them groan and the row they\u2019ve had with me,
\nFor I\u2019ve been out all night at a small fish fight at the bottom of deep blue sea.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe anchor shall be hove at once and your wife and chicks set free,
\nBut I ne\u2019er saw a fish from a sprat to a whale till now that could speak to me;
\nYour figure head\u2019s like a sailor bold; you speak like an Englishman.
\nWhere the devil\u2019d you get that wonderful tail? Come tell me as true as you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA long time ago from the ship \u201cHero\u201d I fell overboard in a gale,
\nAnd I saw down below where the sea-weeds grow such a lovely girl with a tail.
\nShe sove* my life and I made her me wife, and me legs changed instantly
\nFor I married a pretty mermaid, at the bottom of deep blue sea.<\/p>\n

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