Row Boys Row - Polperro Choir - Looe RNLI boathouse
Music and Lyrics by Tanya Brittain
Sung by Polperro Fishermens Choir, 14 July 2017
Looe RNLI boathouse
“Hevva, hevva”, Bowsman
Grab your nets and put to sea
Keep an eye upon the Huer and the haze
Bowsman, guide your crew
Steer your oarsmen straight and true
Keep her safe, hold her steady as she sways
November brings the herring
And October brings the hake
The storms of winter keep us firm ashore
We’ll be crabbing in the spring
Hauling mackerel as we sing
And in summer we put pilchard into store
Row boys, row, row against the tide boys
Hear the huer cry boys, row
Row boys, row, row we’ll catch them on the run boys
Row until you’re done boys, row
Empty baskets line the deck
The shoal is moving east
Our seine-boats form a circle with the net
The Huer’s off to bake the welcome Hevva cake
Our load is full, our shirts are wet with sweat
The womenfolk will clean them all
And stack them high and dry
Our cellars fill with salt and silver scales
Then our daily toil will be to press them for the oil
To see us through the winter storms and gales
REPEAT CHORUS
And then we’ll drink the health of Catholic folk and to the Pope
They can search the whole world over, pole to pole
May they all repent and extend their term of Lent
For there’s nothing quite like pilchard for the saving of the soul
REPEAT CHORUS x 2