Musical Map of Newfoundland and Labrador

THE FERRYLAND SEALER

Listen:
“The Ferryland Sealer”
Dave Panting
From the album Newfoundland Songs, 2006.
Find more albums by Dave Panting at Fred's Records
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.
Source: https://www.soundbone.ca/about-lomond-sound#davepanting

Person list

Words and tune:

  • Traditional

Locations associated with this song:

Background Info:

This song was well-known on the West Coast of Newfoundland, but unknown in Ferryland, on the East Coast, when the Canadian folk song collector, Kenneth Peacock, visited there in the early 1950s. It dates from the middle of the nineteenth century, recalling a time when the seal fishery was an essential part of the yearly round of activities for many Newfoundland fishermen giving them a healthy infusion of ready cash.
Dr. Philip Hiscock, Sing Around this One...Songs of Newfoundland & Labrador –Volume 2
© Vinland Music. Reproduced with permission

Lyrics:

Oh, our schooner and our sloop in Ferryland they do lie,
They are already rigged to be bound for the ice,
All you lads of the Southern we will have you to beware
She is going to the ice in the Spring of the year.
Laddie whack fall the laddie, laddie whack fall the day.

We had vittles for to last us for two months at the least,
And plenty of good rum, boys, stowed away in our chest,
We will give her a rally for to praise all of our fancy,
All our seals will be collected by the William and the Nancy
Laddie whack fall the laddie, laddie whack fall the day.

Our course be east-north-east for two days and two nights,
Our captain he cried out, "Boys, look ahead for the ice!"
And we hove her about standing in for the land,
And 'twas in a few hours we were firm in the jam.
Laddie whack fall the laddie, laddie whack fall the day.

Oh our captain he cried out, "Come on boys and lend a hand!"
Our cook he gets the breakfast and each man takes a dram.
With their bats in their hands it was earlye for to go,
Every man showed his action without the missing of a blow
Laddie whack fall the laddie, laddie whack fall the day.

Some were killing, some were sculping, some were hauling on board,
And some more they were firing and a-missing of their loads;
In the dusk of the evening all hands in from the cold,
And we counted nine hundred fine sculps in the hold.
Laddie whack fall the laddie, laddie whack fall the day.

Oh now we are loaded and our schooner she is sound,
And the ice it is open and to Ferryland we’re bound
We all gave her a rally for to praise all of our fancy,
Our seals were collected by the William and the Nancy
Laddie whack fall the laddie, laddie whack fall the day.

We are now off Cape Spear and in sight of Cape Broyle,
We will dance, sing, carouse, me boys, in just a little while,
We will soon enjoy the charms of our sweethearts and friends,
For it will not be long before we're down to the bend.
Laddie whack fall the laddie, laddie whack fall the day.

from Sing Around this One...Songs of Newfoundland & Labrador –Volume 2
© Vinland Music. Reproduced with permission.

See lyrics on a page by themselves