O, 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
O, I earned me keep and I paid my way
And I earned the gear that I was wearing
Sailed a million miles, caught ten-million fishes
As we hunted for the shoals of herring
Night and day the seas we're darin
Come wind or calm or winter gale
Sweating or cold
Growing up, growing old or dying
As we hunted the bonny shoals of herring