Excursion Around the Bay
Encyclopedia
"Excursion Around The Bay" is a popular Newfoundland folk song. It was written by Johnny Burke
(1851–1930), a popular St. John's, Newfoundland balladeer.
It was covered by Great Big Sea
on their 1993 and 2000 albums, Great Big Sea
and Road Rage
, and then again on their live recording, Great Big DVD and CD. Most recently it was featured on their album Courage & Patience & Grit
.
The Kreellers have also adopted this song as a pub favorite, which is featured on their 2008 release, Sixth and Porter.
To the Harbour Grace
excursion, with the boys to have a time;
And just before the sailor pulled the gangway from the pier,
I saw some fella haul me wife aboard, as a volunteer.
Chorus:
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,
O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,
I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.
We had three hundred souls on board, oh what a splendid sight,
Matt Strong in regimentals, to make our spirits bright;
With meself being in the double, with the funny things they'd say,
And they'd choke themselves from laughing, when they see us in the bay.
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,
O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,
I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.
Now, me wife she got no better, she turned a sickly green,
I gave her soap and candy, fat pork
and gasoline;
Castor-oil and sugar of candy, I rubbed hair-oil on her face,
And they said she'd be a dandy, when she reaches Harbour Grace.
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,
O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,
I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.
My wife she got no better, my wife, my darling dear,
The screeches from her throat, you could hear in Carbonear
;
I searched every place in Harbour Grace, searched every store and shop,
To get her something for the cure, or take her to the hop.
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,
O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,
I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.
Oh, she died below the Brandies, as we were coming back,
We buried her in the ocean, wrapped up in the Union Jack;
And now I am a single man, in search of a pretty face,
And the woman who says she'll have me, sure I'm off for Harbour Grace.
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,
O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,
I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.
Johnny Burke
Johnny Burke was a Newfoundland songwriter and musician. He was nicknamed the 'Bard of Prescott Street'. He wrote many popular songs that artists in the 1930s and 1940s released.Popular songs by Burke include:* The Night Paddy Murphy Died...
(1851–1930), a popular St. John's, Newfoundland balladeer.
It was covered by Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea is a Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanties, which draw from the island's 500-year-old Irish, English, and French heritage...
on their 1993 and 2000 albums, Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea (album)
Great Big Sea is Great Big Sea's self-titled, independently-released debut album. Originally released in 1993, it was later redistributed by Warner Music Canada when the band was signed.-Track listing:...
and Road Rage
Road Rage (album)
Road Rage is an album by Great Big Sea released in 2000. It is a compilation of live performances that took place between October 14 and December 31, 1999.-Track listing:#"Donkey Riding" 2:18...
, and then again on their live recording, Great Big DVD and CD. Most recently it was featured on their album Courage & Patience & Grit
Courage & Patience & Grit
Courage & Patience & Grit is a DVD/CD set released by the band Great Big Sea on November 14, 2006. It contains video of the live performance from a concert at the Empire Theatre in Belleville, Ontario along with music videos for the songs "Captain Kidd", "When I Am King", "Lukey", and "Shines Right...
.
The Kreellers have also adopted this song as a pub favorite, which is featured on their 2008 release, Sixth and Porter.
Lyrics
It was early Monday morning, and the day be calm and fine,To the Harbour Grace
Harbour Grace, Newfoundland and Labrador
Harbour Grace is a town in Conception Bay on the Avalon Peninsula in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. With roots dating back to the sixteenth century, it is one of the oldest towns in North America. It is located about 45 km northwest of the provincial capital, St. John's...
excursion, with the boys to have a time;
And just before the sailor pulled the gangway from the pier,
I saw some fella haul me wife aboard, as a volunteer.
Chorus:
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,
O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,
I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.
We had three hundred souls on board, oh what a splendid sight,
Matt Strong in regimentals, to make our spirits bright;
With meself being in the double, with the funny things they'd say,
And they'd choke themselves from laughing, when they see us in the bay.
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,
O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,
I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.
Now, me wife she got no better, she turned a sickly green,
I gave her soap and candy, fat pork
Lard
Lard is pig fat in both its rendered and unrendered forms. Lard was commonly used in many cuisines as a cooking fat or shortening, or as a spread similar to butter. Its use in contemporary cuisine has diminished because of health concerns posed by its saturated-fat content and its often negative...
and gasoline;
Castor-oil and sugar of candy, I rubbed hair-oil on her face,
And they said she'd be a dandy, when she reaches Harbour Grace.
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,
O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,
I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.
My wife she got no better, my wife, my darling dear,
The screeches from her throat, you could hear in Carbonear
Carbonear, Newfoundland and Labrador
Carbonear is a town on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. As of 2006, there are 4,723 people living in Carbonear, down from 4,759 in 2001.-History:...
;
I searched every place in Harbour Grace, searched every store and shop,
To get her something for the cure, or take her to the hop.
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,
O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,
I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.
Oh, she died below the Brandies, as we were coming back,
We buried her in the ocean, wrapped up in the Union Jack;
And now I am a single man, in search of a pretty face,
And the woman who says she'll have me, sure I'm off for Harbour Grace.
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,
O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;
O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,
I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.