Fish in the Sea

Some early references to this song refer to it as "Fishes Lamentation" or "Windy Old Weather", while at least one broadside titles it "King of the Sea". Collector W.B. Whall, writing in 1901, dates the song to the 1860s. It has been performed by a wide variety of folk singers, and it would be practically impossible to identify a "definitive" set of lyrics.

Several variants can be grouped into two categories: one with the chorus "Windy old weather, stormy old weather, when the wind blows we'll all go together", the other with the chorus "blow ye winds westerly, westerly blow, we're bound to the south'ard so steady she goes."

The version sung by the Longest Johns generally follows the one used in the video game Assassin's Creed: Black Flag, which (per the description on their 360° YouTube video) is the version they heard first. It appears to have been based on an arrangement by Quadriga Consort from their 2011 album Ship's Ahoy.

Lyrics

These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns in their livestreams.

Come all you young sailor-men, listen to me
I'll sing you a song of the fish in the sea

{Chorus}
And it's windy weather, boys
Stormy weather, boys
When the wind blows we're all together, boys
blow ye winds westerly, blow ye winds blow
jolly sou'wester, boys, steady she goes!

Up jumps the eel with his slippery tail,
climbs up aloft and reefs the topsail!

{Chorus}

Then up jumps the shark with his nine rows of teeth,
saying "you eat the dough, boys, and I'll eat the beef!"

{Chorus}

Up jumps the whale the largest of all,
"If you want any wind, well I'll blow you a squall!"

{Chorus}

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