Innovative and inspiring, both collecting traditional songs, as well as writing new ones. He was, and remains, a very influential artist, writer and singer, committed to social issues. He travelled around the world collecting and recording songs.
Married to Peggy Seeger, he reportedly sang his most famous song - 'The first time ever I saw your face' - to her over the telephone during a transatlantic phone call.
His song 'Dirty Old Town' has been recorded hundreds of time, notably by The Spinners (the British folk group), Rod Stewart, The Pogues, Townes Van Zandt, The Specials, the Mudmen.
He was father to musicians Kirsty MacColl, Neill MacColl and Calum MacColl, and grandfather to Bombay Bicycle Club's Jamie MacColl.
MacColl and Seeger recorded several albums of political commentary songs. MacColl himself wrote over 300 songs, some of which have been recorded by as diverse as Roberta Flack, Planxty and Johnny Cash. In 2001, The Essential Ewan MacColl Songbook was published, which includes the words and music to 200 of his songs.
There is a plaque dedicated to MacColl in Russell Square in London. The inscription includes: "Presented by his communist friends 25.1.1990 ... Folk Laureate - Singer - Dramatist - Marxist ... in recognition of strength and singleness of purpose of this fighter for Peace and Socialism". In 1991 he was awarded a posthumous honorary degree by the University of Salford.
MacColl was very politically active and as well as political song he was a playwright and one of the founders of the Communist backed 'Edinburgh People's Festival' from 1951-54. The EPF was a victim of McCarthyism but provided the blueprint for today's Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The Shoals Of Herring
Ewan MacColl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the wild and wasteful ocean.
Its there that we hunt and we earn our bread
As we hunted for the shoals of herring
O it was a fine and a pleasant day
Out of Yarmouth harbor I was faring
As a cabinboy on a sailing lugger
O the work was hard and the hours long
And the treatment, sure it took some bearing
There was little kindness and the kicks were many
As we hunted for the shoals of herring
O we fished the Swarth and the Broken Bank
I was cook and I'd a quarter sharing
And I used to sleep standing on my feet
And I'd dream about the shoals of herring
O we left the homegrounds in the month of June
And to Canny Shiels we soon were bearing
With a hundred cran of silver darlings
That we'd taken from the shoals of herring
Now you're up on deck, you're a fisherman
You can swear and show a manly bearing
Take your turn on watch with the other fellows
While you're searching for the shoals of herring
In the stormy seas and the living gales
Just to earn your daily bread you're daring
From the Dover Straits to the Faroe Islands
As you're following the shoals of herring
O I earned my keep and I paid my way
And I earned the gear that I was wearing
Sailed a million miles, caught ten million fishes
We were sailing after shoals of herring
The Shoals of Herring is a folk song written by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger in 1947. The song tells the story of hardworking and dedicated fishermen who seek their livelihood on the open sea. It depicts the daily struggles and challenges faced by the fishermen as they venture out into the unpredictable ocean to harpoon and collect the silver darlings - herring - and make their living. The imagery and tone of the song are sober and reflective, highlighting the harshness of the work, terrible living conditions and unfair treatments received by the fishermen. The shoals of herring that they follow, act as a metaphor for a better life, one where they can be free from the servitude of the seas.
Line by Line Meaning
With our nets and gear we're faring
We are traveling across the ocean with our equipment and tools.
On the wild and wasteful ocean.
We are traveling on the tumultuous, unpredictable ocean filled with danger.
Its there that we hunt and we earn our bread
We work and gain food solely from hunting for fish in the ocean.
As we hunted for the shoals of herring
We searched and caught herring fish as a means of survival.
O it was a fine and a pleasant day
The weather was good and enjoyable that day.
Out of Yarmouth harbor I was faring
I was leaving the Yarmouth harbor on a boat.
As a cabinboy on a sailing lugger
I was working as a servant on a small sailing boat.
For to go and hunt the shoals of herring
My purpose was to catch herring fish for food and trade.
O the work was hard and the hours long
The job was difficult with long hours.
And the treatment, sure it took some bearing
I had to endure cruel treatment from my superiors.
There was little kindness and the kicks were many
My superiors were unkind and abused me physically.
As we hunted for the shoals of herring
We caught herring fish despite the difficulty and mistreatment.
O we fished the Swarth and the Broken Bank
We caught fish in Swarth and Broken Bank.
I was cook and I'd a quarter sharing
I was in charge of cooking and received a portion of the fish caught.
And I used to sleep standing on my feet
I was so exhausted from work that I had to sleep standing up.
And I'd dream about the shoals of herring
I dreamed about catching more herring fish.
O we left the homegrounds in the month of June
We departed our home port in June.
And to Canny Shiels we soon were bearing
We were traveling to Canny Shiels.
With a hundred cran of silver darlings
We caught one hundred boxes of herring fish.
That we'd taken from the shoals of herring
We caught the herring fish from the shoals in the ocean.
Now you're up on deck, you're a fisherman
When you're on the deck, you're a skilled fisherman.
You can swear and show a manly bearing
You can use profanity and have a tough, masculine attitude.
Take your turn on watch with the other fellows
Take turns monitoring for shoals of herring with other men.
While you're searching for the shoals of herring
You're looking for herring fish while watching for shoals.
In the stormy seas and the living gales
Amidst rough and tumultuous ocean conditions,
Just to earn your daily bread you're daring
We risk our lives to catch herring fish for our livelihood.
From the Dover Straits to the Faroe Islands
We travel from the Dover Straits to the Faroe Islands to catch herring fish.
As you're following the shoals of herring
We're chasing the shoals of herring to catch them.
O I earned my keep and I paid my way
I earned my living and funded my own way of life.
And I earned the gear that I was wearing
I purchased and owned the equipment I used for fishing.
Sailed a million miles, caught ten million fishes
I traveled enormous distances and caught countless fish.
We were sailing after shoals of herring
Our main purpose was to chase and catch shoals of herring.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: EWAN MACCOLL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Paula DeMichele
To whoever took the time and care to find these pictures and post them, thank you! They are superb - our ancestors are still part of us and we need to remember how they lived and what they survived.
nicdavdi
Paula Thank you much appreciated
Amanda Gay
I love this song! All the herrings were gone by the time I went to school in Yarmouth, but my grandma came from a fishing family. Her father was born in the Rows and lived as a child in a Peggotty Hut ...
Howard Moss
A true classic. Ewan McColl really had it.
Andrew Colchester
A real classic; first heard this 50 years ago at our local folk club when Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger came passing through. Used to go out on the boats in those days and he really caught the mood.
kennygl2008
What a haunting song and singing of it by its writer, Ewan MacColl! I first heard this song almost 50 years ago, as performed by The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem, and it stirred my emotions way back then. I like Ewan's solo rendition for its heartfelt intimacy. Thanks for posting "Shoals Of Herring" and the wonderful photos of the Great Yarmouth herring fleet!
Lady Macbeth
MacColl wrote the song.
Frankie Northtrop Triton
That's what they said
Alex Morris
A lasting testament to mc Coll’s writing abilities ,,,,,,if you didn’t know he had wrote it I’m sure down to a man you’d think it was TRADITIONAL ,,,,but we all know it was mc Coll ,,,,,,,of course all his other songs he wrote were just magical RIP,,
jonno52
I heard this on the radio last night for the first time, and thought he was singing "Shores of Erin" until the penny dropped. Wonderful! and favourited. I was never the greatest fan of Ewan MacColl but this is making me think again. Thank you.