Shanty Town
Mr. Scruff Lyrics


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The whale song, but where's it coming from?
HAHAHAHAH
OOHH well my lad you've come aboard then!
You look as if you wanted a breath of sea air!
I want a fish.
Well you've got a lovely day for it!
Hahahaha!
Hold back, 300 metres port bow captain!
I can just see the whale coming out of the mist
They heard a gurgling sound
And the head of the
Whale
Rose above the surface of the water.

There's a whale, there's a whale
There's a whale fish he cried
And the whale was in full view
There's a whale, There's a whale
There's a whale fish's bow
And the whale was in full view
Whale fish, whale fish, whale fish
And the whale was in full view
There's a whale, there's a whale, There's a whale fish
And the whale was in full view

The huge fish emerged from the water,
It looked dreadful.
It was covered in mud and green weed.
You call that a whale?
Ahh! What sorta fish are you?!
I'm not a real fish at all you stupid man.
What are you if you're not a fish?
You certainly look like a fish..
Well I certainly don't feel like a fish.

There's a whale, there's a whale
There's a whale fish he cried
And the whale was in full view
There's a whale, There's a whale
There's a whale fish's bow
And the whale was in full view
Whale fish, whale fish, whale fish
And the whale was in full view
There's a whale, there's a whale, There's a whale fish
And the whale was in full view

Just then he fell into the sea
Whoops
Man overboard!
Do something fast!
Swim for it!
I.. I can't swim!
Can't swim! Well well, fancy that!
The lifeboat came to the rescue.
I've been shipwrecked
Well after being shipwrecked no doubt you'll be ready
For lunch!
When the fisherman got his breath back
They had a lovely picnic supper Of fish and chips
It was the best fish supper they'd ever tasted
It was
Delicious

There's a whale, there's a whale
There's a whale fish he cried
And the whale was in full view
There's a whale, There's a whale
There's a whale fish's bow
And the whale was in full view
Whale fish, whale fish, whale fish
And the whale was in full view
There's a whale, there's a whale, There's a whale fish
And the whale was in full view

Whales! Great creatures of the sea!
Please listen to me!
Whales, whales, whales, whales..
Whales, I am your friend
On the bed of the ocean




No doubt!
Thank you great fish

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Mr. Scruff's "Shanty Town" describe a group of fishermen who encounter a whale while out at sea. The first few lines introduce the sound of the whale as it emerges from the water, and the dialogue between the fishermen as they spot it. The fishermen express their excitement at the sight of the whale, and one of them even asks for a fish, which prompts laughter from the group.


As the fishermen draw closer to the whale, they realize that it is not actually a whale, but rather a large fish covered in mud and green weed. They exchange lighthearted banter with the fish, who humorously denies being a real fish despite its appearance. In the end, one of the fishermen falls overboard and is rescued by his crewmates. The group enjoys a fish supper afterward.


The lyrics to "Shanty Town" are playful and whimsical. They evoke a sense of adventure and wonder at the mysteries of the sea. The fishermen's encounter with the "whale" highlights the importance of staying curious and open-minded, even when faced with the unexpected.


Line by Line Meaning

The whale song, but where's it coming from?
Questioning the source of the whale's song.


HAHAHAHAH
Laughter.


OOHH well my lad you've come aboard then!
Welcoming someone aboard a ship.


You look as if you wanted a breath of sea air!
Observing someone's desire for fresh air on the sea.


I want a fish.
Expressing a desire for food.


Well you've got a lovely day for it!
Commenting on the good weather for fishing.


Hold back, 300 metres port bow captain!
Giving navigation commands.


I can just see the whale coming out of the mist
Observing the whale approaching.


They heard a gurgling sound
Hearing a noise from the whale.


And the head of the Whale Rose above the surface of the water.
Describing the whale's appearance as it emerged from the water.


There's a whale, there's a whale There's a whale fish he cried And the whale was in full view There's a whale, There's a whale There's a whale fish's bow And the whale was in full view Whale fish, whale fish, whale fish And the whale was in full view There's a whale, there's a whale, There's a whale fish And the whale was in full view
Repeating the observation that the whale is in view.


The huge fish emerged from the water, It looked dreadful. It was covered in mud and green weed. You call that a whale? Ahh! What sorta fish are you?! I'm not a real fish at all you stupid man. What are you if you're not a fish? You certainly look like a fish..Well I certainly don't feel like a fish.
Describing the appearance and identity of the whale and highlighting its difference from a fish.


Just then he fell into the sea Whoops Man overboard! Do something fast! Swim for it! I.. I can't swim! Can't swim! Well well, fancy that! The lifeboat came to the rescue. I've been shipwrecked Well after being shipwrecked no doubt you'll be ready For lunch!
Narrating a scene where a person falls overboard and is then rescued, eventually having lunch afterwards.


When the fisherman got his breath back They had a lovely picnic supper Of fish and chips It was the best fish supper they'd ever tasted It was Delicious
Describing the fisherman's recovery and subsequent picnic dinner, praising the quality of the fish.


Whales! Great creatures of the sea! Please listen to me! Whales, whales, whales, whales..Whales, I am your friend On the bed of the ocean No doubt! Thank you great fish
Addressing the whales and expressing friendship towards them.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DESMOND DEKKER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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