Tishialuk Girls Set
Great Big Sea Lyrics


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Tishialuk girls are neat and tidy, Tishialuk girls it won't last long,
Tishialuk girls they will be useful when Sam Cove is dead and gone.

Aunt Rae wants me to wed her daughter, takes me from my heart's delight,
Give me a girl from down in Tishialuk , shines in the eyes like diamonds bright.

Tishialuk girls are neat and tidy, Tishialuk girls it won't last long,
Tishialuk girls they will be useful when Sam Cove is dead and gone.




Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Great Big Sea's "Tishialuk Girls Set" appear to be about a man who is being pressured by his Aunt Rae to marry her daughter. However, he prefers girls from Tishialuk, and speaks of their neatness and usefulness. The line "Tishialuk girls it won't last long" could be interpreted as the man acknowledging the fleeting nature of romantic relationships, or perhaps even as a commentary on the circumstances in which Tishialuk girls find themselves. The final line "when Sam Cove is dead and gone" seems to suggest that the man's preference for Tishialuk girls has something to do with the place he lives.


The song's lyrics are somewhat ambiguous and it is difficult to determine the exact meaning behind the words, however, the song itself is a traditional Newfoundland folk song, often played at kitchen parties and ceilidhs. It celebrates the culture of Newfoundland and the importance of community in everyday life. The song encourages listeners to appreciate the beauty of the Tishialuk girls and to recognize the value of all people, regardless of their upbringing or background.


Line by Line Meaning

Tishialuk girls are neat and tidy
Girls from Tishialuk are well-groomed and orderly in appearance


Tishialuk girls it won't last long
Their neatness and tidiness won't last forever


Tishialuk girls they will be useful when Sam Cove is dead and gone.
The girls from Tishialuk will have value after Sam Cove is no longer around


Aunt Rae wants me to wed her daughter
My aunt is pressuring me to marry her daughter


takes me from my heart's delight
By doing so, she is taking me away from the person I truly love


Give me a girl from down in Tishialuk , shines in the eyes like diamonds bright.
I would prefer a girl from Tishialuk who has a dazzling and alluring gaze




Contributed by Mason Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

gdgest

Been looking for this for several years. Thanks for sharing.

Changaroo

speaks to the heart.

Jackson Brown

yay, I love this song...