The members are: John Brown, Julian Brown, Jeremy Brown (these first three being brothers), Trevor Grills (died 11 February 2013), John Lethbridge, Billy Hawkins, Nigel Sherratt, Peter Rowe, John McDonnell and Jon Cleave. At 78, Peter Rowe is the oldest member, as of June 2012. Jon Cleave is the MC of the group.
All the members of the group "grew up within half a mile of Port Isaac harbour" except for John McDonnell who is a Yorkshireman. Three are fishermen, and the others are linked to the sea through service as coastguards or lifeboatmen.
The group performed at the 2010 Cornbury music festival in Oxfordshire, the Glastonbury Festival and the Cambridge Folk Festival. The group had released two CDs themselves before signing with Universal; their first album with Universal, Port Isaac's Fisherman's Friends, was recorded in St Kew Parish Church, Cornwall, and released in April 2010.
www.fishermansfriendsportisaac.co.uk
The Coast of High Barbary
Fisherman's Friends Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo-ho, heave-ho
I′m going to sing you all a song
About a ship that haunts my dreams.
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
A song to curdle up your blood
And make the banshees scream
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
Get aloft, get aloft
Now we're {UNKNOWN} captain {UNKNOWN}
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
Look ahead! Look astern!
Look a-windward look a-lee(ward)
Sailing down the coast of
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
There′s nothing to the stern
There's nothing to the lee
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
But there's a spooky ship to windward
That′s sailing loose and free
Sailing down the coast of
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
The captain was a skeleton
The first mate was a ghoul
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
When we fired off our broadside
The ball went right on through
Sailing down the coast of
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
Yo-ho, heave-ho-o
Yo-ho! Heave-ho!
Yo-ho, heave-ho
The spooky old
Fisherman′s friends are we
Sailing down the coast of
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
He waved a bony hand and said:
Farewell, me boys, farewell!
Blow high, blow low
And so sailed we
We bound for Davy Jone's locker
We′re sailing down to hell
Sailing down the coast of
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
Sailing down the coast of
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
Oh, heave ho{sustained}
"The Coast of High Barbary" is a classic sea shanty that tells the story of sailors encountering a ghost ship while sailing down the coast of North Africa. The opening verses of the song, "Yo-ho, heave-ho, I'm going to sing you all a song about a ship that haunts my dreams," set the eerie tone for the entire composition. The song speaks of a spooky ship that sails loose and free, with a captain who happens to be a skeleton and the first mate who is a ghoul, and how the sailors on the ship are bound for Davy Jones' locker.
Throughout the shanty, there's a sense of foreboding and fear, with references to banshees screaming, spooky ships, and sailors facing an uncertain fate. The song is written in a rousing and uplifting tone despite its macabre subject matter, a characteristic that is common in sea shanties. The song's melody pairs perfectly with the song's haunting lyrics, offering listeners an authentic and immersive nautical experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo-ho, heave-ho
We're about to start singing.
I'm going to sing you all a song
About a ship that haunts my dreams.
The following song is about a frightening ship that the singer frequently dreams or thinks about.
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
A song to curdle up your blood
And make the banshees scream
The song is intended to be thrilling and creepy, to the point of causing fear and unease.
Sailing down the coast of
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
The ship is sailing along the coast of High Barbary, a dangerous area.
Get aloft, get aloft
Now we're {UNKNOWN} captain {UNKNOWN}
The crew is ordered to go up to higher parts of the ship; possibly because the ship is being tossed around by rough waters. The captain is also mentioned, but we do not know their identity.
Look ahead! Look astern!
Look a-windward look a-lee(ward)
Sailing down the coast of
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
The crew is keeping watch in all directions due to the dangers of the area. They are still sailing along the coast of High Barbary.
There’s nothing to the stern
There's nothing to the lee
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
Despite the lack of land or other ships in sight, the crew keeps sailing through wind and waves.
But there's a spooky ship to windward
That’s sailing loose and free
Sailing down the coast of
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
Despite being in a deserted area, there is a mysterious and frightening ship passing nearby.
The captain was a skeleton
The first mate was a ghoul
Blow high, blow low
And so sail we
The crew of the spooky ship is made up of supernatural creatures, as the captain is a skeleton and the first mate is a ghoul. Nevertheless, the crew continues sailing through tough conditions.
When we fired off our broadside
The ball went right on through
Sailing down the coast of
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
The crew attempts to fire on the spooky ship, but their attack has no effect.
Yo-ho, heave-ho-o
Yo-ho! Heave-ho!
Yo-ho, heave-ho
The spooky old
Fisherman’s friends are we
Sailing down the coast of
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
The crew of the ship singing the song is referred to as the 'spooky old Fisherman's friends'. They continue sailing through High Barbary.
He waved a bony hand and said:
Farewell, me boys, farewell!
Blow high, blow low
And so sailed we
The spooky ship's captain bids the crew farewell in a skeletal fashion. The crew of the song's ship continues to sail through challenging conditions.
We bound for Davy Jone's locker
We’re sailing down to hell
Sailing down the coast of
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
The crew of the song's ship may be headed for death or disaster, making their journey akin to going to hell. They remain on course through rough waters near High Barbary.
Sailing down the coast of
Hi-
-Igh
Barbar-y{sustained}
The song comes to its end with a repetition of the sailors' journey through the dangerous waters of High Barbary.
Oh, heave ho{sustained}
The song concludes with a final repetition of the call to heave ho, signifying the hard work and physical struggle of the sailors on the journey.
Writer(s): Jonathan Robert Cleave
Contributed by Parker D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rob
on Blow the Man Down
I was as drunk as a skunk out on Paradise Street
Wey hey blow the man down
When a minging old strumpet I chanced for to meet
Give me some time to blow the man down
She had hair like a scarecrow and a rolling glass eye
Wey hey blow the man down
And I fell for her charms as she hobbled on by
Give me some time to blow the man down
Chorus:
Blow the man down bullys, blow the man down
Wey hey blow the man down
Blow him right back into Liverpool town
Give me some time to blow the man down
Her topsails were flapping, her rigging ran free
Wey hey blow the man down
And she clewed up her corsets and winked right at me
Give me some time to blow the man down
She was steamy and beamy and broad in the bow
Wey hey blow the man down
"Get your coat boy you've pulled and come 'ome with me now"
Give me some time to blow the man down
Chorus
I slapped and I tickled, she giggled and swooned
Wey hey blow the man down
And all the night long we canoodled and spooned
Give me some time to blow the man down
Yes all the night long won't you give me a clap?
Wey hey blow the man down
And that's just what she give me and I ain't going back
Give me some time to blow the man down
Chorus x 2