The Corries – The Shoals O Herrin (Guitar)

Capo 3
Key
-

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Video

Chords

Chords with a slash (like E/G#) describe the bass line to the previous chord. Listen to the Corries playing this tune here: Tremolo - Capo III
       A                     Bm   A         
With our nets and gear we're faring                     

        A          Bm     A   E
On the wild and wasteful ocean.

          A            Bm        A          Bm           A   A  A/G# F#m
It's out there on the deep we harvest and reap -  our bread

       A             D        E   A
As we hunt the bonny shoals o herrin

     A              D          A
O it was a fine and a pleasant summers day

A           A     A/G#     A/F#     E    
Out of Yarmouth harbour I was faring

E/F#  G# A      D              A     F#m
As a cabin boy on a sailing lugger

         A              D         E    A
We were up to hunt the shoals of herring

     A              D          A
Now the work was hard and the hours long

A           A     A/G#     A/F#     E    
and the treatment surely took some bearing

E/F#  A/G# A                 D                  A   A   A/G#  F#m
there was little kindness and the kicks were many

         A              D     E    A
as we hunted for the shoals o herrin

     A                    D          A
Now we fished the Swarth and the Broken Bank

A           A     A/G#     A/F#     E    
I was cook and I'd a quarter share in

E/F#  E/G# A          D              A  A   A/G#  F#m
And I used to sleep standing on me feet

         A               D        E    A
And I dreamed about the shoals o herrin

     A                   D                A
We left the home grounds in the month of June

A           A     A/G#     A/F#     E    
And for Canny Shiels we soon were bearing

E/F#  E/G# A          D              A  A   A/G#  F#m
With a hundred cran of the silver darlings

         A                D        E    A
That we'd taken from the shoals o herrin

    A               D              A
In the stormy seas and the living gales

A           A     A/G#     A/F#     E    
Just to earn your daily bread you're daring

E/F#  E/G# A          D              A  A   A/G#  F#m
From the Dover Straits to the Faroe Islands

         A                D        E    A
And you're following the shoals o herrin

   A                     D          A
Now you're up on deck, you're a fisherman

A           A     A/G#     A/F#     E    
You can swear and show a manly bearing

E/F#  E/G# A          D              A  A   A/G#  F#m
Take your turn on deck with the other fellows

         A               D        E    A
As you're following the shoals o herrin
[Tremolo]
       A            Bm  A         
Night and day we’re farin

        A    Bm     A        E
Come winter wind or winter gales.

 A        Bm            A          Bm       A      A   A/G#  F#m
Sweat or cold, growing up, growing old, or dying 

       A               D        E   A
As you hunt the bonny shoals o herrin.