Hear, men, hear the bowsman, grab your nets and put to sea
Keep an eye out for the hewer, and the haze
Bowsmen, guide your crews, steer your oarsmen straight and true
Keep us safe and 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 will the pilchard into store
Row, boys, row, row against the tide
Boys, hear the hewer cry, boys, row
Row, boys, row, catch 'em on the run, boys
Row until we're done, boys row
♪
Empty baskets line the deck, the shoal is moving east
The sailboats form a circle with the hail
The hewers off to bay, the welcome never came
And our load is full, our shirts are wet with sweat
The womenfolk will clean them all, and stack them high and dry
Our cellars filled with salt, and silver scale
And then our daily toil be to Preston for the oil
To see us through the winter storms and gales
Row, boys, row, row against the tide
Boys, hear the hewer cry, boys, row
Row, boys, row, catch 'em on the run, boys
Row until we're done, boys row
♪
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
Row, boys, row, row against the tide
Boys, hear the hewer cry, boys, row
Row, boys, row, we'll catch 'em on the run, boys
Row until we're done, boys row
Row, boys, row, row against the tide
Boys, hear the hewer cry, boys, row
Row, boys, row, we'll catch 'em on the run, boys
Row until we're done, boys row
Row until you're done, boys row