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Three Day Millionaire

[Mike Waterson]

Mike Waterson sang his own song Three Day Millionaire on the Watersons' 1975 album For Pence and Spicy Ale. This track was included in 2004 on the Watersons' 4 CD anthology Mighty River of Song. It was also sung by Blue Murder (i.e. Waterson:Carthy with Coope, Boyes & Simpson) in 2002 on their CD No One Stands Alone. A.L. Lloyd commented in the original album's sleeve notes:

Work like horses, spend like asses, is an old description of trawlermen. Exemplifying the adage, Mike Waterson wrote this song for a play by Phil Woods about the Hull fishing industry, called Settle Us Fore.

John Conolly sang Three Day Millionaire in 1998 on his and Pete Sumner's Fellside CD Trawlertown.

Lyrics

Mike Waterson sings Three Day Millionaire

Why, I left school Friday
And I started work on Saturday
To catch the early tide
And be a galley boy's me plan
On the fishin' grounds to roam
Eighteen hundred mile from home
I couldn't give a bugger, I'm a man

I shall get to deck a-learnin'
It's the bonus I'll be earnin'
And the money comes in handy
For the old ran tan
Brylcreme in me hair
Three day millionaire
I couldn't give a bugger, I'm a man

I sh'll get meself a suit made
To show I'm in the fishin' trade
I'll put me brothel-creepers* on
And swagger when I can
All me pots are pint-sized
Watch me gettin paralysed
To show the younger buggers who's a man

And when I get to skipper
I'll get married, have a nipper
I s'll take the lad to sea wi' me
And teach him all I can
I'll be a different sort of fella
Have a house out in Kirk Ella**
And I'll show the bleedin' neighbours who's a man

I'll be a different sort of fellow
Have a house out in Kirk Ellow
And I'll show the bleedin' neighbours who's a man

Greer Gilman's notes:

*suede shoes with crêpe soles--Fifties swagger!
**posh suburb of Hull

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Greer Gilman for the transcription.