Great Big Sea

Well I was walking in the mainland city
And I was feeling so alone
I was looking for someone or thing to remind me of my home

What I wouldn't give to have somebody nod or wink at me
'Cause thats the way we say hello in my home down by the sea

We never say "Hello" or "How's it going?", "Good day" or any of that
We just look at them and nod our heads and wink say "Whadd'ya at?"

CHORUS:
Whadd'ya at? How's she going buddy, Whadd'ya at today?
Whadd'ya at? How's she going buddy, Whadd'ya at today?

But then I walked into a shopping mall and much to my surprise
An old friend from my hometown was a sight for my sore eyes
And of all the people I met down in the city or in the mall
I think I like my hometown friend the best one of them all.
Because he didn't say "Hello" or "Hows it going", "Good day?" or any of that
My old friend he just looked at me and smiled and said "Whadd'ya at?"

CHORUS (x2)

Everybody must say "Whadd'ya at?"
All together now.

CHORUS

Let this be a lesson to all our people who go away
Remember if you meet someone the special words we say
We don't ever say "Hello" or "How's it going?","Good day"
Or any of that.
You just look at them and nod your head now wink say "Whadd'ya At?"

CHORUS

What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
Earl-eye in the morning!

CHORUS:
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Way hay and up she rises
Earl-eye in the morning

Shave his belly with a rusty razor,
Shave his belly with a rusty razor,
Shave his belly with a rusty razor,
Earl-eye in the morning!

CHORUS

Put him in the hold with the Captain's daughter,
Put him in the hold with the Captain's daughter,
Put him in the hold with the Captain's daughter,
Earl-eye in the morning!

CHORUS

What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
Earl-eye in the morning!

CHORUS

Put him the back of the paddy wagon,
Put him the back of the paddy wagon,
Put him the back of the paddy wagon,
Earl-eye in the morning!

CHORUS

Throw him in the lock-up 'til he's sober,
Throw him in the lock-up 'til he's sober,
Throw him in the lock-up 'til he's sober,
Earl-eye in the morning!

CHORUS

What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
Earl-eye in the morning!

CHORUS

What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
What do you do with a drunken sailor,
Earl-eye in the morning!

CHORUS

Hearken to me both high and low
I'll sing for you a song
Of Kings and Queens, and rose-lipped maidens
Courting light foot lads

Now love is grand, when love is new
The heart blood, it runs strong
There's nothing a doting lad won't do
To keep his princess warm

He'll tease her with poems and promises
He'll ask her out to dance
He'll cajole and he'll beg
And he'll always win
In bitter-sweet romance

CHORUS:
For time it comes, and time it goes
It makes the strongest tree to bend
Kings and Queens have no defence
Time brings all things to an end.

But he goes out, with his drinking pals
His eyes begin to roam
He forgets all about the brown-eyed beauty
Who now, sits home alone

There's no more walks, down lover's lane
There's no more wine in the sun
All that's left is a hollow pain
Time, alas you've won

CHORUS

Now all who wish for love to stay
And last your whole life through
Keep ahead of time me boys
And never be untrue

CHORUS

I stand in my doorway as the moon rises high
Over glorious ocean, reflects the bright sky
My heart it is aching, so much I could die
I've known only the ocean, since I was a boy

CHORUS:
And I spent my whole life, out there on the sea
Some government bastard now takes it from me
It's not just the fish, they've taken my pride
I feel so ashamed that I just want to hide

I fished with my father, so long long ago
We were proud of our trade, and in us it did show
We held our heads high, there was lots of fish then
That was the time, when we were proud men

We challenged great storms and sometimes we won
Faced death and disaster, we rose with the sun.
We worked and we toiled, we strained arm and brain
We were a proud people, will we e'er be again?

CHORUS

My father is gone now, and the fish are gone too.
Abused and mis-managed, oh what can we do?
I'm too old to change, but what of my sons,
How will they know that we weren't the ones?

DFO regulations permitted the rape
Of our beautiful ocean, from head land to cape
They brought in big trollers, they tore up our twine
Politians don't care for whats yours or whats mine!

CHORUS

You brave Newfoundlanders, now listen to me
Shove the package to hell, go back to the sea
If we don't stand our ground, we will fade away
And the bones of our fathers will turn into clay

And I spent my whole life, out there on the sea
Some government bastard now takes it from me
It's not just the fish, they've taken my pride
I feel so ashamed that I just want to die.

Back to the sea.

Its of an Irishman I'm going to tell you
Free from Ireland sailed away
Where he was to he was not contended
Made up his mind for to go away

Early next morning the ship was sailing
Queenstown harbour, golden core
Eight long days he was sailing over
Till he landed in New York

Up the street young Paddy wandered
Each big building caught his eye
Looking up at a big shop window,
A bottle of whisky he did spy

Into the bar young Paddy entered
Called for a drink, without delay
Give me a drop of that Irish Whisky,
Four big coppers I will pay

The landlord he jumped over the counter
"Pay me down that bill", he said
Paddy up with a big shillelagh
Laid him on the floor right dead

So the Yankees they came running
When they heard about the row
Trying to kill poor Irish Paddy,
Shouting out, "Where is he now?!"

Irishmen they followed after
Following without delay
Each of them with a big shillelagh,
Made the Yankees run away

May God's success to his Irish people
Many's the country they have roamed
But their courage is far bolder
When they're far away from home