This is the second song I’ve written about/for my big-boy cousin, Alex Murray. Here’s the other one.
Alex was skipper of the Steadfast, after his Dad – my Uncle Jim – a trawler registered in Buckie, BCK22. Gill and I are delighted to have re-established contact with Alex and his lovely Freida in the past couple of years and we’ll be aiming for Buckie sometime this year for another visit and another good blether!
… and just the words …
We fished the North Sea for the Silver Darlings. We took the white fish from the Faeroe Grounds.
We trawled the Minch to reap the golden harvest. And dropped anchor safe in Orkney’s Water Sound
We can drift and we seine and can trawl, And here’s always nets to cast and nets to haul.
Haul away brave boys, Haul away. Haul away brave boys, Haul away.
We caught them with the Scaffie and the Fifie and the Zulu was the fastest boat of all.
Then we caught in boats of iron and of diesel. Mined the ocean with the deepest tangle trawl.
From Buckie and from Cullen and from Pennan … f rom Ainster and from Crail and Aberdeen.
From Gairloch and from Oban and from Stronsay. There were once more boats that you have ever seen.
So enjoy your cod and monkfish, trout and haddock. Enjoy your prawns and crabs and anchovies,
But spare a thought for those that found and caught them. Those who fed you from the dark and stormy seas