Winken Blinken & Nod
Fred Penner Lyrics


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Winken and Blinken and Nod one night
Sailed off on a wooden shoe
Sailed down a river of crystal light
Into a sea of dew

Now where are you going and what do you wish?
The old moon asked the three
Well we're going out fishing for Herring fish
That live in the beautiful sea

And some silver and gold have we
Said, Winken and Blinken and Nod

The old moon laughed and sang a song
As they rocked in their wooden shoe
And the wind that sped them all night long
Ruffled the waves of dew

While the little stars were the Herring fish
That lived in the beautiful sea
Now cast your nets wherever you wish
Never a feared are we

So sang the stars to the fishermen three
Winken and Blinken and Nod

All night long their nets they threw
To the stars in the twinkling foam
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe
Bringing the fishermen home

T'was all so pretty a sight it seemed
As if it could not be
And some folks thought t'was a dream
They dreamed of sailing the beautiful sea

But I shall name you the fishermen three
Winken and Blinken and Nod

Now Winken and Blinken are two little eyes
And Nod is a little head
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
Is a wee one's trundle bed

So close your eyes while mother sings
Of the beautiful sights that be
And you will see the wonderful things
As you rock in your misty sea





Where the old moon rocked the fishermen three
Winken and Blinken and Nod

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Fred Penner's song Winken Blinken & Nod bring us to a dreamy world of three fishermen who sailed off one night on a wooden shoe and traveled along a river of crystal light into a sea of dew. The old moon asked where they were going and what they wished, and they answered that they were going out fishing for Herring fish that lived in the beautiful sea, carrying silver and gold with them. As they sailed, the old moon laughed and sang, and the wind ruffled the waves of dew. The little stars were the Herring fish they fished all night long, and the stars sang them songs to never fear wherever they cast their nets. Finally, the fishermen returned home on their wooden shoe, and it turned out to be a trundle bed of a little child's who were traveling in their dreams.


The song implies a dream-like world that exists in everyone's childhood, where imaginary boats glide through the mystical rivers of light and little eyes, the Winken, and Blinken, and Nod, represent the innocence of childhood. The song creates a magical world with characters that represent elements of dreams and reality, and it hints at the connection between dreaming and exploring the unknown. The old moon symbolizes the wisdom that guides the dreamers who embark on a journey to find treasures, and the stars sing encouraging melodies to assure the fishermen that they have nothing to fear.


Line by Line Meaning

Winken and Blinken and Nod one night
Two little eyes and a little head went to bed one night


Sailed off on a wooden shoe
Fell asleep in a little trundle bed


Sailed down a river of crystal light
Fell asleep under a night light


Into a sea of dew
Entered into a peaceful slumber


Now where are you going and what do you wish?
The mother asks the child where they want to go in their dreams


The old moon asked the three
The moon shines light into the bedroom


Well we're going out fishing for Herring fish
The child imagines going fishing in the sea


That live in the beautiful sea
The child dreams of catching silver and gold fish


And some silver and gold have we
The child tells the mother about the fish they plan to catch


The old moon laughed and sang a song
The moon shines its light and lulls the child to sleep


As they rocked in their wooden shoe
As they drifted off to sleep in their trundle bed


And the wind that sped them all night long
The gentle breeze in the bedroom gently rocks the trundle bed


Ruffled the waves of dew
Caused the child's blankets to rustle and move slightly


While the little stars were the Herring fish
The child imagines the stars in the sky as fish in the sea


That lived in the beautiful sea
The child continues to dream about the sea


Now cast your nets wherever you wish
The stars encourage the child to keep exploring their imagination


Never a feared are we
The child feels safe and unafraid in their dreams


So sang the stars to the fishermen three
The stars continue to entertain the child with their songs


All night long their nets they threw
The child continues to explore their imagination all night long


To the stars in the twinkling foam
The child imagines throwing a net to catch the stars in the sky


Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe
The child imagines the trundle bed descending from the sky


Bringing the fishermen home
Returning the child safely back to their bedroom


T'was all so pretty a sight it seemed
The child's dreams were filled with beautiful sights


As if it could not be
The child marvels at the wonders of their imagination


And some folks thought t'was a dream
Adults may not understand the child's vivid imagination


They dreamed of sailing the beautiful sea
The child continues to dream and explore their imagination


But I shall name you the fishermen three
The mother reminds the child that they are the ones in control of their dreams


Winken and Blinken and Nod
Referring to the child and their two little eyes


Now Winken and Blinken are two little eyes
Reiterating that the two eyes belong to the child


And Nod is a little head
Referring to the child's head which is resting on the pillow


And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
The trundle bed that the child imagines as a boat


Is a wee one's trundle bed
Reminding the child that what they imagine is their own little world


So close your eyes while mother sings
The mother will sing the child to sleep


Of the beautiful sights that be
The mother sings about the beauty of the dream world


And you will see the wonderful things
The child will continue to explore their vivid imagination


As you rock in your misty sea
The child will gently drift off to sleep in their trundle bed


Where the old moon rocked the fishermen three
The moon shines a light on the child's imagination




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LUCY SIMON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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