© 1995 Mary Garvey
Mary
said "I wrote [this song]when I went back to Peter's River a few years
ago. I had worked on a whale research
study there some years ago through the University of Newfoundland, and wanted
to see it again. This was after the
collapse of the cod fishery in Newfoundland, and fishermen couldn't even go out
and catch a few fish for their families."
She
added "The bit about shooting their boats is true. A really bad storm came up while I was
there, and the men did go and shoot their boats to sink them so they would
survive the storm." I dare you to
try this at home… GB
Mary
Garvey is a Pacific Northwest songwriter with more than 50 songs to her
credit. She currently resides in
Washington State.
Gordon – 12-string guitar
Not a boat in Peter's River
or in all St. Mary's Bay
The fishermen in rubber boots are
staying home today
Hanging out the laundry, hang out in
the store
And the Little Boats of Newfoundland
are idle on the shore*
The men of Peter's River are just
barely getting by
And the boats of Peter's River have
their bottoms to the sky
The wives of Peter's River are taking
up the slack
Fisheries has ended and it's never
coming back
Sell a little knitting, set some
broody hens
No sooner does a hard day end, another
one begins
The wives of Peter's River are too
strong to sit and cry
And the boats of Peter's River have
their bottoms to the sky
The boys of Peter's River are as
bright as boys can be
Their eyes are on the highway instead
of on the sea
Where their fathers went before them
is not where they must go†
And the fate of Peter's River is not
for us to know
The
boys of Peter's River are too young to wonder why
And
the boats of Peter's River have their bottoms to the sky
The storms of Peter's River have
pounded us for years
Crashing in the harbour and smashing
up the piers
We've ridden out these storms before
by shooting at our boats
But we know this storm is different, -
and we cannot stay afloat
And the boats of Peter's River have
their bottoms to the sky.
*
"Little Boats of Newfoundland" is the name of a Newfoundland song
†
Sir Cavendish Boyle, Ode to Newfoundland:
As loved our fathers, so we love/Where
once they stood we stand
This prayer we raise to Heaven
above:/God guard thee Newfoundland
The
Boats of Peter's River is recorded on Herrings in the Bay and is
also in the songbook One to Sing, One to Haul