Fa wid be a fisherman’s wife
Tae work wi’ a tub an a scrubber an’ a knife
A deid oot fire an’ a raivel’d bed
An’ awa tae the mussels in the mornin.
Here we come scoorin in
Three reefs tae the foresail in
There’s nae a dry stick tae pit on wer back
But still we’re aa teetotllers.
Fa’ll gie’s the hand tae rin a ripper lead
Tae try for a coddie in the bay o’ Peterheid?
They’re maybe at the Lummies or the clock on Sautis’eid
Fen we gaun tae the sma lines in the mornin.
Here we come scoorin in
Three reefs tae the foresail in
There’s nae a dry stick tae pit on wer back
But still we’re aa teetotllers.
Puir aul father’s in the middle o’ the flair
Beatin heuks ontae tippets an they’re hangin on his chair.
They’re made wi horses’ hair, man, for that’s the best o’ gear
Tae be gyan tae the fishin in the mornin.
Here we come scoorin in,
Three reefs tae the foresail in.
There’s nae a dry stick tae pit on wer back,
But still we’re aa teetotllers.
Doon the Geddle Braes in the middle o’ the nicht
Wi an aul seerup tin an a can’le for a licht,
Tae gaither up the pullars, ev’ry een o’ them in sicht
So we’ll get the linie baited for the mornin.
Here we come scoorin in
Three reefs tae the foresail in
There’s nae a dry stick tae pit on wer back
But still we’re aa teetotllers.
It’s easy to the cobbler, sittin in his neuk
His big copper kettle hangin on a crook
But we’re in the boo and we cannae get a heuk
It’s sair hard work in the mornin.
Here we come scoorin in,
Three reefs tae the foresail in.
There’s nae a dry stick tae pit on wer back,
But still we’re aa teetotllers.
It’s nae the kin o’ life that a gentle quine can thole
Wi her fingers reid raw wi the scrubbin oot a yole
An a littlen on her hip, she’s awa tae cairry coal
She’ll be caaed sair deen in the mornin.
Here we come scoorin in
Three reefs tae the foresail in
There’s nae a dry stick tae pit on wer back
But still we’re aa teetotllers.
Fa wid be a fisherman’s wife
Tae work wi’ a tub an a scrubber an’ a knife
A deid oot fire an’ a raivel’d bed
An’ awa tae the mussels in the mornin.