{"id":6497,"date":"2025-04-27T07:58:17","date_gmt":"2025-04-27T11:58:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejovialcrew.com\/?page_id=6497"},"modified":"2025-04-27T07:58:17","modified_gmt":"2025-04-27T11:58:17","slug":"yea-ho-little-fishy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thejovialcrew.com\/?page_id=6497","title":{"rendered":"Yea Ho, Little Fishy"},"content":{"rendered":"

I first heard this song, as did most people I know, from the movie \u201cCaptains Courageous\u201d: 1937, with Spencer Tracy.\u00a0 Tracy plays a hurdy gurdy as he sings to himself, and the song is credited in the movie as having been \u201cwritten\u201d by Gus Kahn and Franz Waxman.\u00a0 In fact, they altered the verses to fit the director\u2019s vision for the movie, but the song is largely associated with Australian folk songs of the 19th<\/sup> century and thought to have come, at least in part, from Portugal. The \u201crefashioned\u201d song is called \u201cManuel\u2019s Love Song\u201d, and the verses are listed at the bottom of this page.<\/p>\n

I, myself, finally took notice of the melody after my dear friend the late Danny Spooner recorded it (Launch Out On The Deep 2002).\u00a0 It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Jos. Morneault<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The lyrics as sung by Danny Spooner<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a song in my heart
\nFor the one I love best
\nAnd her picture is tattooed
\nAll over my chest.<\/p>\n

Chorus:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Yeah Ho, little fishy<\/em><\/strong>
\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Don\u2019t cry, don\u2019t cry.<\/em><\/strong>
\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Yeah Ho, little fishy<\/em><\/strong>
\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Don\u2019t cry, don\u2019t cry.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Little fish when he\u2019s caught
\nHe fights like a bull whale
\nAnd he splashes the water
\nWith his long, narrow tail<\/p>\n

Chorus:<\/p>\n

There are fish in the sea
\nThere ain\u2019t no doubt about it.
\nAs good as the ones that
\nEver came out of it.<\/p>\n

Chorus:<\/p>\n

Now the crew are asleep
\nAnd the ocean\u2019s at rest
\nSo I\u2019m singing this song
\nFor the one I love best<\/p>\n

Chorus:\u00a0 2x<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lyrics as recorded by Ed Tricket<\/strong><\/p>\n

Come all ye bold fishermen, listen to me;
\nI’ll sing you a song of the fish in the sea.<\/p>\n

Yea ho, little fish, don’t cry, don’t cry;
\nYea ho, little fish, you be a whale by and by.<\/p>\n

You go to fish school and can learn from a book
\nHow not to get caught on the fisherman’s hook.<\/p>\n

Watch out, little fish, we’re out after you,
\nBut you can escape away deep in the blue.<\/p>\n

You just swim around the fisherman’s bait
\nAnd you won’t end up on the fisherman’s plate.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lyrics from the movie \u201cCaptains Courageous\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry
\nYeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry<\/p>\n

Once Doc baked some biscuits and throw them away
\nNext day no more fish come around boat to play<\/p>\n

Yeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry
\nYeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry<\/p>\n

Said Cabbage to fish cake Who lay on one dish
\nI beautiful cabbage You only poor fish<\/p>\n

Yeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry
\nYeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry<\/p>\n

There’s a place in my heart For the one I love best
\nAnd I still keep her picture tattooed on my chest<\/p>\n

Yeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry
\nYeah, ho, little fish Don’t cry, Don’t cry”<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n