> Eliza Carthy > Songs > Herring Song

Herring Song

[ Roud 128 ; Ballad Index VWL086 ; trad.]

Herring Song was sung and played by Eliza Carthy on fiddle and djembe in 1998 on her album Rice with Soul Rose, melodeon; Ed Boyd and Billericay Fontenot, guitar; Saul Rose, Billericay and Thorngumbold Fontenot and Lucy Adams sang in the chorus.

Lyrics

There once was a man who came from Kinsale
    Sing aber o vane, sing aber o linn
And he had a herring, a herring for sale
    Sing aber o vane, sing aber o linn
Sing man of Kinsale, sing herring for sale
    Sing aber o vane, sing aber o linn
And indeed I have more of my herring to sing
    Sing aber o vane, sing aber o linn

So what do you think they made of his head?
The finest oven that ever baked bread
Sing herring, sing head, sing oven, sing bread
And indeed I have more of my herring to sing

So what do you think they made of his back?
A nice little man and his name it was Jack
Sing herring, sing back, sing man, sing Jack
And indeed I have more of my herring to sing

So what do you think they made of his eyes?
The finest dishes that ever held pies
Sing herring, sing eyes, sing dishes, sing pies
And indeed I have more of my herring to sing

So what do you think they made of his scales?
The finest ships that ever set sail
Sing herring, sing scales, sing ships, sing sails
And indeed I have more of my herring to sing

So what do you think they made of his fins?
The finest cases for needles and pins
Sing herring, sing fins, sing needles and pins
And indeed I have more of my herring to sing

So what do you think they made of his hair?
The finest rope for the seat of a chair
Sing herring, sing hair, sing rope, sing chair
And indeed I've no more of my herring to sing

Acknowledgements

Transcribed from the singing of Eliza Carthy by Vic with many thanks from the Wide World and Garry Gillard. This song was the subject of animated discussion on the Mudcat Café (Lyris: The Herring Song chorus) and participants were not able to agree on the words of the chorus. Eliza Carthy herself clarifies what she sings in the chorus in the Mudcat Café tthread Eliza C Herring Song chorus. She believes these Welsh words mean something like “over the hills and over the bridge.”