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The herring's head

from Jewels by Chris Foster

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about

Over the years, I have heard many versions of 'The Herring's Head'. This one I picked up piecemeal, without really realising it, when I was living in Suffolk in the late 1970's. It kind of emerged into my repertoire when I started singing it in the car to amuse my daughter Amy, when she was little. Since moving to Iceland, it has taken on new layers of meaning and significance. Although as far as I know we didn't have Herring Wars.

lyrics

What'll we do with the old herring's head
We'll make it into loaves of bread
Herring's head loaves of bread
And all such things

Chorus
The herring is the king of the sea
The herring is the fish for me
The herring is the king of the sea
Sing wack faloodle day

And what'll we do with the old herring's eyes
We'll make 'em into puddings and pies
Herring's eyes puddings and pies
And all such things

Chorus

And what'll we do with the old herring's gills
We'll make 'em into physical pills
Herring's gills physical pills
And all such things

Chorus

And what'll we do with the old herring's scales
We'll make 'em into buckets and pails
Herring's scales buckets and pails
And all such things

Chorus

And what'll we do with the old herring's fins
We'll make 'em into needles and pins
Herring's fins needles and pins
And all such things

Chorus

And what'll we do with the old herring's belly
We'll make it into jams and jelly
Herring's belly jams and jelly
And all such things

Chorus

And what'll we do with the old herring's guts
We'll make 'em into comic cuts
Herring's guts comic cuts
And all such things

Chorus

And what'll we do with the old herring's back
We'll make it into a fishing smack
Herring's back a fishing smack
And all such things

Chorus

And what'll we do with the old herring's tail
We will make it into a ship with a sail
Herring's tail a ship with a sail
And all such things

Herring's tail a ship with a sail
Herring's back a fishing smack
Herring's guts comic cuts
Herring's belly jams and jelly
Herring's fins needles and pins
Herring's scales buckets and pails
Herring's gills physical pills
Herring's eyes puddings and pies
Herring's head loaves of bread
And all such things

Chorus

© traditional arranged Chris Foster

credits

from Jewels, track released February 1, 2017
Chris Foster vocal

license

all rights reserved

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about

Chris Foster image

Chris Foster Reykjavik, Iceland

Chris Foster grew up in the south west of England. A master of his trade, he was recently described as “one of the finest singers and most inventive guitar accompanists of English folk songs, meriting legend status.” Over the past 40 years, he has toured throughout the UK, Europe, Canada and the USA. He has recorded six solo albums as well as working on many collaborative projects. ... more

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