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about

A true Newfoundland anthem by Pat and Joe Byrne. This song pays tribute to types of people that are no longer produced. People that would get up before dawn, manually paddle a punt (a small wooden fishing boat) into unpredictable Atlantic waters and set a trawl by hand, all the while hoping sharks won't poach their catch. On the other side of the coin, those who stayed back home would play doctor, cook, teacher, gardener and day care worker. This is old Newfoundland and these people are the reason the island has persisted to this day, often times with the odds of the world stacked against it.

lyrics

It was up with the dawning and down to the stage,
And haul on your oil clothes each morn;
Put your nine-foot oars across her
and leave the land behind,
Head her out through the fog on the scend.

And 'twas haul all day in the cross handed way,
And hope that the dogfish wouldn't run;
Curse the old black punt
just to keep your spirits high,
Keep your eye to the westward for the squall.

Now, the cross-handed set was the Paradise way,
It was slow, but the man was on his own;
And you owed no man a penny,
bought your 'baccy with cod oil,
And your pride was in the strength of your arm.

As the years they passed by
there were three daughters born,
With no sign of a boy coming on;
But your woman didn't worry,
she was young and fair and strong,
And she smiled from her garden on the hill.

Then with two boys born and coming into their own,
All your comrades went chasing a dream;
And ya died never knowing of
the wealth that you have done,
For it's only now it started to be seen.

And 'twas haul all day in the cross handed way,
And hope that the dogfish wouldn't run;
Curse the old black punt
just to keep your spirits high,
Keep your eye to the westward for the squall.

credits

from The Land, The Sea, The People, released March 10, 2022
Originally by Pat and Joe Byrne, from their album 'Towards the Sunset'
Adam Ruzzo Vocals and Guitar/Mandolin
Fergus brown O'byrne Concertina

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Adam Ruzzo

My original music springs from my experiences roaming Canada; stories of folks who live unapologetically, a simple and rewarding life; living on the edge, from the North West Territories, to Newfoundland. I find inspiration in the wild landscapes of Canada, including Algonquin Park and through my original compositions, try to convey musically the awe inspiring beauty so evocative of these places. ... more

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