Dave Boulton June 2008
There were once 3 jolly fishermen who were sitting on the quay
Casting of their lines into the bright and briny sea
They’d caught coddling for their suppertime and Mackerel for their dinner
As well as the odd bloater, conger eel and little minnow
And then a big brash businessman comes swaggering close by
And he stops to watch them fishing with a bloodshot baleful eye
Just sitting in the sunshine and relaxing in the light
To his cor-por-ate connected brain it just didn’t seem quite right
He says why are you all sitting when you could be out there earning
Why are you all lazing when your money’s not returning
You could make a livelihood with the skills that you are using
All you need is motivation and a boat to do the cruising
He says what you want to do my lads is get yourselves a loan
Form yourselves a company and buy a boat you’ll own
Then go out upon the ocean boys and sail out on the sea
Cause there’s money to be made if you will fish commercially
He says when you’ve caught your fishes you must bring them to the shore
Sell them in market and then got to sea once more
And when your holds are bursting boys your purse will be the same
And when your hold is empty boys then go to sea again
If you work hard and long enough you’ll soon be in the dosh
And your wallet it will swell and it will overflow with cash
So work yourself to death my boys and sleep upon your feet
And soon you’ll have another boat and very soon a fleet
Then hire yourselves some fishermen and manage what they do
And work from dawn to dusk at the direction of your crew
Then hire yourselves some Captains boys to do the work you ceased
Then lie in bed and worry at the ways you might get fleeced
And then up speaks one fisher lad just like he’d never heard
He said what would be the payback if we take you at your word
If we work 12 hours a day my friend and worry through the night
Tell me how would life be better how would all that make it right
The businessman says OBVIOUS! You’d have money you’d have choice
And you can be the Captain of your heart desire my boys
You’ll have money by the bushel boys and time for all you’re wishing
For instance if you wanted to you could come here each day fishing
Those boys they slowly looked at him then looked at each other
They saw the dawning in his eyes as he gazed one to another
And they heard the penny dropping lads and he whispered oh my God!
And he slumped down hard upon the Quay – said “Someone pass a rod”