Oh it was a fine and a pleasant day
out of Yarmouth Harbour I was faring
as a cabin boy on a sailing lugger
for to hunt the bonny shoals of herring

Now up on deck, you're a fisherman
you can swear and show a manly bearing
take your turn and watch with the other fellas
as you hunt the bonny shoals of herring

Well I earned my keep and I paid my way
and I earned the gear that I was wearing
I sailed a million miles, caught ten million fishes
we were dreaming of the shoals - of herring

Night and day the seas were daring
come wind or come our winter gale
sweating or cold; growing up, growing old, or dying
as we dreamed about the shoals of herring