Now my dad was a fisherman bold And he lived till he grew old For he'd open the pane and pop out the flame Just to see how the wind do blow.
And he'd oftentimes tell to me You be sure before you go Do you open the pane and pop out the flame. Just to see how the wind do blow.
When the north wind roughly blow Then I lie snug below But I open the pane and pop out the flame. Just to see how the wind do blow.
When the wind comes in from the east It's no good for man nor beast But I open the pane and pop out the flame Just to see how the wind do blow.
When the wind back into the west It'll blow in hard at best, But I open the pane and pop out the flame Just to see how the wind do blow.
But when the south wind softly blow It's then I love to go But I open the pane and pop out the flame And there's not enough wind to go.
Now my wife she says to me We shall starve if you don't go So I open the pane and I pops out the flame Just to see how the wind do blow.
Candlelight Fisherman comes from Bob Roberts, master of the Cambria, the last of the Thames sailing barges. He had a great repertoire of sea songs, many of them humorous, and a lot of them have become staples of the folk clubs.
So come all you fishermen bold If you'd live till you grow old Do you open the pane and pop out the flame Just to see how the wind do blow.