The Banks of Newfoundland

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"The Banks Of Newfoundland" is the earliest Newfoundland composition set down in music notation. It was composed by Chief Justice Francis Forbes in 1820 and published in a piano arrangement by Oliver Ditson of Boston. Originally composed as a dance, it was treated as a march by the soldiers of The Royal Newfoundland Regiment during World War I; it later became the Regiment's authorized march.

It has also been associated with the Royal St. John's Regatta since its early days. As a Regatta song it is more popularly known as "Up The Pond", and is traditionally played as the crews pass the bandstand on their return to the stakes. It was later made the official song of the Regatta.

[edit] Lyrics

THE BANKS OF NEWFOUNDLAND

You bully boys of Liverpool

I'll have you to beware,

When you sail on them packet ships,

no dungaree jumpers wear;

But have a big monkey jacket

all ready to your hand,

For there blows some cold nor'westers

on the Banks of Newfoundland.

We'll scrape her and we'll scrub her

with holy stone and sand,

And we'll think of them cold nor'westers

on the Banks of Newfoundland.

There was Jack Lynch from Malnahinch,

Mike Murphy and some more,

I tell you well, they suffered like hell

on the way to Baltimore;

They pawned their gear in Liverpool

and they sailed as they did stand,

And there blow some cold nor'westers

on the Banks of Newfoundland.

We'll scrape her and we'll scrub her

with holy stone and sand,

And we'll think of them cold nor'westers

on the Banks of Newfoundland.

Now the mate he stood on the fo'c'sle head

and loudly he did roar,

Now rattle her in me lucky lads,

you're bound for America's shore;

Go wash the blood off that dead man's face

and haul or you'll be damned,

But there blows some cold nor'westers

on the Banks of Newfoundland.

We'll scrape her and we'll scrub her

with holy stone and sand,

And we'll think of them cold nor'westers

on the Banks of Newfoundland.

So now it's reef and reif, me boys

With the Canvas frozen hard

and this mountain pass every Mother's son

on a ninety foot topsail yard

nevermind about boots and oilskins

but holler or you'll be damned

But there blows some cold nor'westers

on the Banks of Newfoundland.

We'll scrape her and we'll scrub her

with holy stone and sand,

And we'll think of them cold nor'westers

on the Banks of Newfoundland.

So now we're off the hook, me boys,

and the land is white with snow,

And soon we'll see the pay table

and we'll spend the whole night below;

And on the docks, come down in flocks,

those pretty girls will say,

Ah, It's snugger with me than on the sea,

on the Banks of Newfoundland.

We'll scrape her and we'll scrub her

with holy stone and sand,

And we'll think of them cold nor'westers

on the Banks of Newfoundland.

[edit] See also

• List of Newfoundland songs