© 1970 Gordon Bok, BMI
I made this after a trip as mate in the old Brixham Trawler Provident in 1964 (I believe). The Plymouth here is in England, Pedro Martir is a mountain on the coast of Spain where we made land, Cascais is a town down the river from Lisbon, and Isle au Haut is a mythical island off the coast of Maine.
Gordon – 12 string guitar
Anne, Carol, Cindy, Matt & Will vocals
Doreen – bass viol
It's away and to the westward
Is the place a man should go
Where the fishing's always easy
They've got no ice or snow
But I'll haul down the sail
Where the bays come together
Bide away the days
By the hills of Isle au Haut
Now, the Plymouth girls are fine
They put their hearts in your hand
And the Plymouth boys are able
First-class sailors, every man
Now the trouble with old Martir
You don't try her in a trawler
For those Bay of Biscay swells
Will roll the head from off your shoulder
And the girls of Cascais
They are strong across the shoulder
They don't give a man advice
And they don't want to cook his supper
Now the winters drive you crazy
And the fishing's hard and slow
You're a damn fool if you stay
But there's no better place to go
The Hills of Isle au Haut is recorded on the albums Apples in the Basket, Clear Away in the Morning, A Tune for November, and is in the songbook Time and the Flying Snow