Fiddler's Green (Cover) by Seth Staton Watkins
STREAM MY MUSIC: open.spotify.com/artist/2t2t6...
Written by John Conolly in 1966, the song lyrics eloquently articulate the yearning of a seasoned mariner for the mythical sanctuary of Fiddler's Green, a maritime utopia reserved for seafarers of virtuous resolve. Through vivid imagery and poignant verse, the protagonist wistfully extols the allure of this ethereal realm, where the tempests of earthly existence are quelled by tranquil seas and benevolent weather. Symbolizing a departure from the toils of mortal life, the refrain "Wrap me up in the oilskins and blankets" evokes a profound readiness for this next adventure. Fiddler's Green emerges as a paradisiacal refuge, replete with the promise of camaraderie, libation, and rolling seas. Embracing a romanticized vision of the seafaring life, the verses reflect a yearning for the sublime simplicity of a sailor's existence, characterized by the harmonious interplay of wind, sea, and melody, and a rejection of the more common tropes of heavenly ascension, a harp and a halo. Ultimately, the lyrical composition transcends mere storytelling, offering a poignant meditation on mortality, longing, and the enduring allure of the sea.
Lyrics:
As I walked by the dockside
One evenin' so fair
To view the still waters
And taste the salt air
I heard an old fisherman singing this song:
"Oh, take me away boys, me time is not long
Wrap me up in the oilskins and blankets
No more at the docks I'll be seen
Just tell me old shipmates
I'm taking a trip, mates
And I'll see you someday
In Fiddler's Green"
Now Fiddler's Green is a
Place I've heard tell
Where fisherman go if they don't go to hell
Where the weather is fair and
The dolphins do play
And the cold coast of Greenland is far
Far away
And when you're in dock and
The long trip is through
There's pubs and there's clubs
And there's lassies there, too
The girls are all pretty and
The beer is all free
And there's bottles of rum
Growing on every tree
"Wrap me up in the oilskins and blankets
No more on the docks I'll be seen
Just tell me old shipmates
I'm taking a trip, mates
And I'll see you someday
In Fiddler's Green"
And no I don't want a harp or a halo, not me
Just give me a breeze and a good rolling sea
And I'll play me old squeezebox
As we sail along
With the wind in the rigging
To sing me this song
"Wrap me up in the oilskins and blankets
No more at the docks I'll be seen
Just tell me old shipmates
I'm taking a trip, mates
And I'll see you someday
In Fiddler's Green"