FELLER FROM FORTUNE
Listen:
“The Fella From Fortune”
Dave Panting
From the album Newfoundland Songs, 2006.
More about Dave Panting
Dave is a multi-instrumentalist, singer /songwriter, composer, and producer. He is a founding member of two influential Atlantic Canadian bands – Figgy Duff and Rawlins Cross. For over four decades he has toured locally and internationally.
Find more albums from Dave Panting at Fred's Records
Person list
Words and tune:
- Traditional
Locations associated with this song:
Background Info:
The earliest versions of Feller From Fortune were collected in 1950 and 1951 by Margaret Sargent and Kenneth Peacock, researchers from the National Museum. The song first appeared in print in the mid-1950s and became a favourite with both Newfoundland and mainland audiences. It uses “fishing” as a metaphor for courtship; Peacock and Edith Fowke both recorded versions that are considerably racier than the version printed here.
Lyrics:
FELLER FROM FORTUNE – Traditional
There's lots of fish in Bonavist' harbour, lots of fish right in around here;
Boys and girls are fishin' together', forty-five from Carbonear.
Chorus: Oh, catch-a-hold this one, catch-a-hold that one,
Swing around this one, swing around she,
Dance around this one, dance around that one,
Diddle dum this one, diddle dum-dee
Oh, Sally goes to church every Sunday, not for to sing nor for to hear;
But to see the feller from Fortune, what was down here fishin' the year .
Oh, Sally's got a bouncin' new baby, father said that he didn't care;
Because he liked feller from Fortune, what was down here fishin' last year.
Oh, Uncle George got up in the mornin', he got up in an fell of a tear;
Ripped the rear right out of his trousers, now he's got nar pair to wear.
There's lots of fish in Bonavist' harbour, lots of fish right in around here;
Swing your partner, Jimmy Joe Jacobs, I'II be home in the spring of the year.
There's lots of fish in Bonavist' harbour, lots of fish right in around here;
Boys and girls are fishin' together', forty-five from Carbonear.
Chorus: Oh, catch-a-hold this one, catch-a-hold that one,
Swing around this one, swing around she,
Dance around this one, dance around that one,
Diddle dum this one, diddle dum-dee
Oh, Sally goes to church every Sunday, not for to sing nor for to hear;
But to see the feller from Fortune, what was down here fishin' the year .
Oh, Sally's got a bouncin' new baby, father said that he didn't care;
Because he liked feller from Fortune, what was down here fishin' last year.
Oh, Uncle George got up in the mornin', he got up in an fell of a tear;
Ripped the rear right out of his trousers, now he's got nar pair to wear.
There's lots of fish in Bonavist' harbour, lots of fish right in around here;
Swing your partner, Jimmy Joe Jacobs, I'II be home in the spring of the year.