The words were written by English folk-hymn writer Michael Cockett (b 1938).
It is set to a tune by English Roman Catholic singer/songwriter, pastoral musician and publisher Kevin Mayhew (1942-2021). Originally copyright was held by Mayhew-McCrimmon Ltd, and subsequently it has transferred to McCrimmon Publishing Co. Ltd.
The tune is unnamed. It is in 6/8 time, and was originally published in the key of C with starting notes G E D C_ c_ d B A_ and accompanying chords C / E / F / D7 / G.
The religious song was published in the 20th Century Folk Hymnal Volume 1. There are some references to it being included an a 1970's edition of Praise the Lord (Chapman) - but the exact edition has not been confirmed. It has been requested by a reader of this site, who remembers singing it in a Catholic church in the United Kingdom during the 1970s - and others have commented that it was sung in Africa and India, and included in at least one hymn book in the latter.
The tune is unnamed. It is in 6/8 time, and was originally published in the key of C with starting notes G E D C_ c_ d B A_ and accompanying chords C / E / F / D7 / G.
The religious song was published in the 20th Century Folk Hymnal Volume 1. There are some references to it being included an a 1970's edition of Praise the Lord (Chapman) - but the exact edition has not been confirmed. It has been requested by a reader of this site, who remembers singing it in a Catholic church in the United Kingdom during the 1970s - and others have commented that it was sung in Africa and India, and included in at least one hymn book in the latter.
Downloads
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Instrumental, with words on-screen
Lyrics
Chorus:
Haul, haul away.
Haul, haul away.
Cast the nets wide and sink the nets deep.
And it's haul, haul away.
1 O he sat in the boat and he spoke to the crowd.
Haul, haul away.
And his voice wasn't soft and his voice wasn't loud.
Haul, haul away.
And he spoke of the just and the pure and the free,
And his voice caught the air like a net in the sea.
And it's ...
2 He said "Cast your nets wide where the water is deep."
Haul, haul away.
"O cast the nets wide and sink the nets deep."
Haul, haul away.
"Though we've worked through the night and we've nothing to show,
we will try once again just because you say so."
And it's ...
3 O the catch it was huge and the boat it was small.
Haul, haul away.
His friends came to help when they heard Peter call.
Haul, haul away.
"You must leave us" said Peter, "for we're men of sin."
But he said "Come with me and be fishers of men".
And it's ...
Haul, haul away.
Haul, haul away.
Cast the nets wide and sink the nets deep.
And it's haul, haul away.
1 O he sat in the boat and he spoke to the crowd.
Haul, haul away.
And his voice wasn't soft and his voice wasn't loud.
Haul, haul away.
And he spoke of the just and the pure and the free,
And his voice caught the air like a net in the sea.
And it's ...
2 He said "Cast your nets wide where the water is deep."
Haul, haul away.
"O cast the nets wide and sink the nets deep."
Haul, haul away.
"Though we've worked through the night and we've nothing to show,
we will try once again just because you say so."
And it's ...
3 O the catch it was huge and the boat it was small.
Haul, haul away.
His friends came to help when they heard Peter call.
Haul, haul away.
"You must leave us" said Peter, "for we're men of sin."
But he said "Come with me and be fishers of men".
And it's ...
I also sang this song in a catholic church in Nigeria around 1973/1974. It was taught to us by an Irish nun and we sand it in a regional choir competition which we won.
ReplyDeleteThis hymn is present in our hymnal at our Catholic church in Mumbai. It's a beautiful song
ReplyDeleteAlso used to sing this in my catholic primary school in the mid 80's have hunted this song for a while but cant find anywhere!
ReplyDeleteI have 2 different copies of the music for this. 20th Century Folk Hymnal Volume 1 (hymn 37) and Celebration Hymnal (Mayhew-McCrimmon 1974) hymn 114. It is not in Praise The Lord (Chapman). I have recorded an instrumental version of my own arrangement which is very different to your sample song by Doug Hazard. https://youtu.be/bFw6VGMCwPQ
ReplyDeleteI hope to do a vocal recording soon. But it'll be more "Fisherman's Friends" than Americana