The group can usually be heard singing on Friday evenings throughout the summer on the Platt in wonderful Port Isaac.
Fisherman's Friends are John, Julian and Jeremy Brown, Trevor Grills, John Lethbridge, Billy Hawkins, Nigel Sherratt, Peter Rowe, John McDonnell and Jon Cleave.
Fisherman's Friends, from Port Isaac on the North Cornwall coast, have secured a deal â said to be worth ÂŁ1 million â with Universal, the company behind acts such as Lady Gaga, Take That and Amy Winehouse
The 10-strong group, which also has a date at this year's Glastonbury Festival, will issue an album of traditional tunes and folk songs next month after being discovered by a record producer on holiday.
Fishermanâs Friends are shanty singers--each of whom are or have been fishermen, lifeboatmen and coastguards (as well as builders, artisans, hoteliers, and shop keepers) in the local area--from Port Isaac on Cornwallâs rugged north coast.
At around eight in the evening during the summer months, tourists and locals gather to hear this ten-man group sing a rousing set of shanties and Cornish folk songs. This album, recorded in a 15th-century church in nearby St Kew, features a rich haul of 12 songs from their Port Isaac repertoire, including the classic "South Australia", the haunting Cornish robber ballad "The Cadgwith Anthem" and the beautiful "Brightly Beams".
In February 2013 Trevor Gills and tour manager Paul McMullen were both killed in a tragic accident while touring.
South Australia
Port Isaac's Fisherman's Friends Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
heave away, haul away
In South Australia round Cape Horn
We're bound for South Australia
Haul away you rolling kings
To me heave away, haul away
Haul away, you'll hear me sing
We're bound for South Australia
'Twas there I met Miss Nancy Blair
I sher up and I sher down
I sher round and round the town
I run her all night and I run her all day
And I run her until we sailed away
There ain't but one thing grieves me mind
To leave Miss Nancy Blair behind
And as we wallop around Cape Horn
You'll wish to God you'd never been born
In South Australia my native land
Full of rocks and thieves and fleas and sand
I wish I was on Australia's strand
With a bottle of whiskey in my hand
The song "South Australia" by Port Isaac's Fisherman's Friends is a traditional shanty that tells the story of a sailor who was born in South Australia and is heading back there after a long journey that has taken him around the world. The lyrics describe the sailor's longing for his homeland and a girl he met there named Nancy Blair. The song is filled with vivid imagery that paints a picture of life at sea and the hardships of being a sailor. The chorus, "Haul away, you rolling kings, we're bound for South Australia," is a call to action, urging the crew to work hard and keep the ship moving.
The first line of the song, "In South Australia I was born," sets the stage for the rest of the lyrics. The sailor is proud of his homeland and longs to return there. He describes the journey around Cape Horn as a difficult one, filled with danger and uncertainty. The mention of Nancy Blair adds a touch of romance to the song, and the sailor's regret at having to leave her behind is palpable.
Overall, "South Australia" is a powerful and evocative song that captures the spirit of life at sea and the longing for home that all sailors feel.
Line by Line Meaning
In South Australia I was born
heave away, haul away
This line glorifies the place where the author was born, which obviously makes him proud of his roots. The phrase 'heave away, haul away' functions as a musical interlude to evoke an atmosphere of joy and celebration.
In South Australia round Cape Horn
We're bound for South Australia
This line gives us the impression that the author, along with a group of people, is about to make a journey or embark on an adventure, and that their final destination is South Australia. Traveling around Cape Horn implies a long and arduous journey.
Haul away you rolling kings
To me heave away, haul away
Haul away, you'll hear me sing
We're bound for South Australia
These lines reinforce the celebratory tone of the song and make references to hauling and heaving as part of a strenuous physical task, probably moving something heavy or traveling long distances. The repetition of 'haul away' and 'we're bound' suggest the resistance of the task at hand, but despite these struggles, they will persist.
As I walked out one morning fair
'Twas there I met Miss Nancy Blair
I sher up and I sher down
I sher round and round the town
I run her all night and I run her all day
And I run her until we sailed away
These lines depict a scene of the author casually strolling down a town and then bumping into Miss Nancy Blair. The phrase 'sher up and I sher down' is believed to mean that the author was trying to impress Miss Blair. The lines stating 'I run her all night and I run her all day' emphasizes how much effort the author was putting into winning Miss Blair's heart. They sailed away together, and the audience can assume that he succeeded.
There ain't but one thing grieves me mind
To leave Miss Nancy Blair behind
This line reveals the author's regret of having to leave Miss Nancy Blair. It could mean that he is unsure about when he will see her again or if he will ever see her again.
And as we wallop around Cape Horn
You'll wish to God you'd never been born
This line refers back to the journey earlier and the difficulties of the Cape Horn. The author reflects on how he and his companions were struggling against the elements, essentially saying that people might regret choosing this particular adventure.
In South Australia my native land
Full of rocks and thieves and fleas and sand
I wish I was on Australia's strand
With a bottle of whiskey in my hand
These lines ironically showcase how the author loves his birthplace, South Australia, despite its flaws such as the presence of rocks, thieves, fleas, and sand. The author wishes he were somewhere else, most likely Australian soil with a bottle of whiskey. This could imply that he wishes he had taken a different life path.
Contributed by Kylie L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@scratchpad7954
Why is this song such a criminally underrated gem?! This kind of music sings to the core of my soul!
@timelliot9110
We have had a generation who have thrown away our heritage, and replaced it with Hollywood drivel.
@reemaravikashni9570
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@btf_flotsam478
It comes from Australia/New Zealand, like most good sea shanties (there's a reason why the Wellerman succeeded where Scottish 'sea shanties' failed), but is too blatantly about that area for the
stupidignorant people from the North Atlantic.@stephensnell5707
â@@btf_flotsam478you dickhead,this song is PURELY CORNISH AND FROM THE FISHERMANS' FRIENDS SINGERS OF PORT ISAAC IN CORNWALL
@NavyCWO
Many of their songs are over 200 years old, yet they still ring out in our hearts especially those of us who've made our living on the sea.
@emlix1
In this life or a previous one.
@grahamt5924
Just being English, these songs run very deep. Hearing people in a pub singing these brings a sense of togetherness like nothing else I know.
@liambirt7079
My family came from cornawll to South Australia in 1840. My dad has the ship and passenger list from then. I watched the movie tonight and loved it. Your songs are great. Im South Australian with Cornish history
@BarrioFabulous
Big thanks from a Texan who can't stop listening.