Greenland Whale Fisheries
Peter, Paul and Mary
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When the whale get strike and the line runs out And the whale makes a flunder with its tail And the boat capsized and I lost my darlin' man No more, no more Greenland for you, brave boys No more, no more Greenland for you Twas in eighteen hundred and fifty three, on June the thirteenth day That our gallant ship her anchor weighed And for Greenland sailed away, brave boys, And for Greenland sailed away. The lookout on the crosstree stood With a spyglass in his hand There's a whale, there's a whale, there's a whalefish, he cried And she blows at every span, brave boys She blows at every span! Well we struck that whale and the line played out But she gave a flunder with her tail And the boat capsized and four men were drowned And we never caught that whale, We never caught that whale. Oh, to lose that whale, my captain cried, It grieves my heart full sore But to lose four of my gallant men It grieves me ten times more, brave boys, It grieves me ten times more! Oh, Greenland is a dreadful place It's a land that's never green Where there's ice and snow and the whalefishes blow And daylight's seldom seen, brave boys And daylight's seldom seen When the whale gets strike, and the line runs out And the whale makes a flunder with its tail And the boat capsized and I lost my darlin' man No more, no more Greenland for you, brave boys. No more, no more Greenland for you.
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Written by: TRADITIONAL, FRED HELLERMAN
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
8 facts about this song
OriginThe "Greenland Whale Fisheries" is a traditional sea shanty that dates back to the 19th century, often attributed to the whaling industry around Greenland during that time.
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Peter, Paul, and Mary VersionPeter, Paul, and Mary, an American folk group, covered the song "Greenland Whale Fisheries" and incorporated it into their performance repertoire.
-Their version of the song is acoustic and heavily reliant on the three-part harmony that the group was known for.
-The rendition by Peter, Paul, and Mary brings a folksy, grounded feel to the sea shanty, adding an air of melancholy and quiet determination to the tale.
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The Pogues' VersionThe Pogues, an Irish punk band known for their blend of traditional Irish music with punk, also covered "Greenland Whale Fisheries."
-Their version is far more raucous and lively, with electric instruments and a faster tempo.
-The Pogues' rendition adds a sense of urgency and danger to the song, by incorporating sounds of howling winds and roaring seas at the beginning and end.
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Subject and Theme"Greenland Whale Fisheries" tells the story of a tragic whaling expedition, where a boat and crew are lost to the sea in pursuit of a large whale.
-The underlining theme of the song is the danger and hardship faced by those living at sea, as well as the tragic implications of commercial whale hunting.
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Popularity and InfluenceThe popularity of "Greenland Whale Fisheries" has led to its adaptation by various artists of different genres over the years.
-The song is often used as an example of traditional sea shanties in music history classes, due to its themes, structure, and use of traditional seafaring melodies.
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ImpactThe song's grim tale has been interpreted as a criticism of the whaling industry and the damage it can do to human lives and the environment, making it relevant in light of modern day debates about whaling and other forms of industrial fishing.
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Different InterpretationsWhile the tragic tale remains consistent across versions, the narrative perspective can shift. Some versions focus more on the perspective of the doomed whalers, while others place more emphasis on the whale as the main "character" of the tale.
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SymbolismThe song has also been interpreted as a metaphor for social and economic tranformation associated with industrialization and capitalist expansion during the 19th century.
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Citation
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"Greenland Whale Fisheries Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/2744651/Peter%2C+Paul+and+Mary/Greenland+Whale+Fisheries>.
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