Let me fish off Cape St Mary's

LET ME FISH OFF CAPE ST MARY'S
Time signature: 4/4 Composer Otto Kelland
Tempo: Wide range, but best played moderately slowly ~ 70 bpm

Accordion Notation

Beats per bar = 4
Beat symbol = Dot ( . ) or equivalent

Outside row (high): Buttons 5 - 11*
Inside row (low): Buttons 2 - 7* and o3*

Verse 1 (of 10)

 "6    "7 | .:8 "9* "8 | "7 "7* :6
  "3 "4 | .:5 "5* "5 | "4 "3* :3
Take me back to my Wes-tern boat, /

"7 "8 | ;9 "9 .11* .11* | "10* .;8
"4 "5 | ;6 "6 .7* .7* | "6* .;5
Let me fish off Cape St. Ma - ry's /

 .9* "10* | .9 .9 .8 "9* "8 | .7 .8 .6
.5* "6* | .6 .6 .5 "5* "5 | .4 .5 .3
Where the hag-downs sail and the fog-horns wail, /

"6 "7 | ;8 "8 .9* "8 "7 | "7* .;6
"3 "4 | ;5 "5 .5* "5 "4 | "3* .;3
With my friends the Browns and the Clear - ys /

"6 "6 | .6 .6 ;6 "6 | .5* :5
"3 "3 | .3 .3 ;3 "3 | .o3 :2
Let me fish off Cape St. Ma - ry's /

Embedded youTube VIDEOS

Key: A

Tempo: ~ 55 bpm

Singer: Phyllis Morrisey
Guitar: Gordon Quinton

Posted by:

Key: A

Tempo: ~ 70 bpm

Player: Poss Slaney

Posted by: Newfieposs

This is the finest accordion rendition of Cape St. Mary's that I have ever heard. What a great accordion player!

Key: C ?

Tempo: ~ 90 bpm

Singer: Harry Hibbs

Posted by: UnidiscMusic

Key: Eb

Tempo: ~ 55 bpm

Group: Ryan's Fancy
Singer: Dennis Ryan

Posted by: quickaccent2006

Key: Ab

Tempo: ~ 75 bpm

Singer: Sonya Gosse
Accordion: Lewis Gosse

Posted by:

Key: B

Tempo: ~ 70 bpm

Group: Irish Descendants

Posted by:

Key: A

Tempo: ~ 105 bpm

Singer: Gordon Pincent

Posted by: Felix The Cat

Key: A

Tempo: ~ 90 bpm

Player: Mary ?

Posted by: labradornl

Key: G

Tempo: ~ 70 bpm

Singer: Stan Rogers

Posted by:

Key: Eb (for singing parts)

Tempo: ~ 55 bpm

Choir: Shallaway

Posted by: #Shallaway

Lyrics:

Take me back to my Western boat,
Let me fish off Cape St. Mary's,
Where the hagdowns sail and the foghorns wail,
With my friends the Browns and the Clearys,
Let me fish off Cape St. Mary's.

Let me feel my dory lift,
To the broad Atlantic combers,
Where the tide rips swirl and the wild gulls whirl,
Where Old Neptune calls the number,
'Neath the broad Atlantic combers.

Let me sail up Golden Bay,
With my oilskins all a streamin',
From the thunder squall when I hauled me trawl,
And my old Cape Ann a gleamin',
With my oil skins all a streamin'.

Let me view that rugged shore,
Where the beach is all a-glisten,
Where the Caplin spawn and from dusk to dawn,
You bait your trawl and listen,
To the undertow a-hissin'.

When I reach that last big shoal,
Where the ground swells break asunder,
Where the wild sands roll to the surge's toll,
Let me be a man and take it,
When my dory fails to make it.

Take me back to that snug green cove,
Where the seas roll up their thunder,
There let me rest in the earth's cool breast,
Where the stars shine out their wonder,
And the seas roll up their thunder.

These verses and their music may be found in many sources, but two of my favorites are:

Favorite Songs of Newfoundland (Lyric & Music Editors: Alan Mills and Kenneth Peacock), Published by BMI Canada Limited (1958). Most of these songs were selected from the collection of the late Gerald S. Doyle.
Catch ahold this One: Songs of Newfoundland and Labrador Volume 1 (Edited and arranged by Eric West, with notes on the songs by Neil V. Rosenberg, and music editing by Sheilah Hewlett and Anne Devine , Published by Vinland Music (2002) - Fifth Edition (2012). This is the first in an excellent series of books, with arrangements for piano, vocal and guitar. If you are into the music of Newfoundland and Labrador, you can obtain great value from these books
WEB SITE (with Irish Descendants version, as given above): Click here

Translation:

Cape Ann: An oil-skin water-proof head covering (somewhat like a hat or cap)
ater.

Composer:

Otto Kelland. The Web does not have a lot of info about Mr. Kelland. The following is taken from a genealogy site:

Born in Lamaline in 1904 to Edgar and Mary Ellen (Pitman) Kelland. Otto moved to St. John's at the age of 15 following the death of his father from cancer.

Although eager to make seafaring his career, he joined the RNC rising to the rank of sergeant. He was offered the position of Head Warden with the HMP and finished his career in law enforcement as Superintendent.

In 1963 the then Premier of NFLD, Joey Smallwood asked Otto if he would use his wood working skills to build models of dories and schooners at the Fisheries College. He remained in this position for ten years.

Throughout his 100 years music payed a big part of his life. He started playing for the dances in Lamaline as a ten year old. He authored five books and wrote many songs and poems including his most famous: Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary's.

Otto and his wife Elda Mayo Kelland had ten children, six of whom are living. Otto died July 8, 2004 in Flatrock, NL.