Greenland Whale Fisheries
"Greenland Whale Fisheries" (also called "The Greenland Whale Fishery", "Sperm Whale Fishery", or "The Ballad of the Greenland Whalers") is a traditional sea song, originating in the West Indies but known all over the Atlantic ocean.[1] In most of the versions collected from oral sources, the song opens up giving a date for the events that it describes (usually between 1823 and 1853). However, the song is actually older than this and a form of it was published as a ballad before 1725.[2] It has been given a Roud number of 347.[3]
The song tells of a whaling expedition that leaves for Greenland. The lookout spots a "whalefish", and harpoon boats are launched. However, the whale strikes the boat with its tail, capsizing it, and several men are killed. The captain grieves over losing his men, but especially for having lost his prey. He then orders the ship to sail for home, calling Greenland a "dreadful place".
Like most traditional songs, "Greenland Whale Fisheries" exists in different versions.[4] Some change details (such as the date of the expedition), and others add or remove verses. Some modern versions, including the ones recorded by Judy Collins and Theodore Bikel, The Chad Mitchell Trio, and later by The Pogues, flip the captain's expression of grief to make him regret losing his catch even more than losing his crew.
In the version popularized by The Weavers and Peter, Paul and Mary, a shanty recorded by Alan Lomax from a Bahamian fisherman[5] is appended, which begins, "When the whale gets strike, and the line run down, and the whale makes a flounder with her tail, and the boat capsized, and we lost our darling man, No more, no more Greenland for you you, Pray Boys, No more, no more Greenland for you."...."[6]
Folk singer Paul Kaplan recorded a song with the same tune under the title "Call Me the Whale". Following a similar chronology, it tells the story from the whale's perspective.[7]
In the Futurama episode "The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz", Bender, in an ironic state of soberness, sings a snippet of the song.
The Greenland Whalefishers, a Celtic punk band from Norway, is named after the song.
Recorded versions
[edit]- 1956 - Paul Clayton - Sailing and Whaling Songs of the 19th Century
- 1957 - A. L. Lloyd & Ewan MacColl - Thar She Blows! Whaling Ballads and Songs
- 1959 - The Weavers - Travelling On with The Weavers
- 1963 - The Chad Mitchell Trio - Blowin' in the Wind
- 1965 - The Watersons - New Voices
- 1966 - Martyn Wyndham-Read, Danny Spooner, Gordon McIntyre, & Peter Dickie - A Wench, a Whale, and a Pint of Good Ale
- 1969 - The Dubliners - At Home with The Dubliners, and on the B-Side of their 1965 single, "Roisin Dubh"
- 1971 - Ryan's Fancy - Dark Island
- 1979 - Stan Hugill, Lou Killen, & the X-Seamen's Institute - Sea Songs
- 1984 - The Pogues - Red Roses For Me
- 1986 - Peter, Paul and Mary - No Easy Walk to Freedom
- 1996 - Judy Collins & Theodore Bikel - Live at Newport (1959–1966)
- 1997 - Isla St Clair - Tatties & Herrin': The Sea
- 2004 - Storm Weather Shanty Choir - Off to Sea Once More
- 2006 - Bodega - Bodega
- 2006 - Van Dyke Parks - Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys
- 2008 - Hank Cramer - The Shantyman
- 2024 - The Longest Johns - Voyage
- 2024 - Kris Drever & Ben Nicholls - Duets
References
[edit]
- ^ "The Greenland Whale Fishery (Roud 347; Laws K21; G/D 1:9)". mainlynorfolk.info. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
- ^ R. Vaughan Williams & A.L. Lloyd (editors): The Penguin Book of English Folk Songs, Penguin Books, 1959. p.115
- ^ "Vaughan Williams Memorial Library Roud 347 entry".
- ^ e.g. Vaughan Williams & Lloyd p.50. Version collected by Anne G. Gilchrist from the singing of W. Bolton, Southport, Lancashire, 1906
- ^ "Bahamas 1935: Chanteys & Anthems from Andros & Cat - Alan Lomax | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ Check-list of Recorded Songs in the English Language in the Archive of Folk Song, United States Work Projects Administration. District of Columbia - 1942,Page 435
- ^ Call Me the Whale Lyrics
