33 - Dreg Song

Words: Traditional
Tune: Traditional

A mysterious 'dreg' song steeped in the superstition of the fishermen who dredged the oyster beds in areas like the Firth of Forth and hoped to lure their catch by songs of incantation.

The herring loves the moonlight
The mackerel loves the wind
But the oyster loves the dredging-sang
For it comes of a gentler kind

Jeery ory alie
Weel row’d five men
As weel as your ten
The oysters are a gentle thing
They wouldna tak unless you sing
Come buy my oysters aff the bing
To serve the sheriff and the king
And the commons o’ the land
And the commons o’ the sea

Hey how Harry-O
Many a boat skail’d the ferry
Many a bonny fishing boat
Tell me a true note
True note true sang
I’ve dreg’ed ower lang
Ower lang ower late
Quo’ the haddock tae the skate
Quo’ the skate tae the eel
Cock nae I my tail weel
Pull weel tae the shore
Hey Harry rest your oar

Jeery ory alie
Weel row’d five men
As weel as your ten
The oysters are a gentle thing
They wouldna tak unless you sing
Come buy my oysters aff the bing
To serve the sheriff and the king
And the commons o’ the land
And the commons o’ the sea