{title: Lukey's Boat}
{artist: Traditional Newfoundland}
{album: Collected in Newfoundland in the early 20th century; published in Gerald S. Doyle's "Old-Time Songs and Poetry of Newfoundland" (first ed. 1927)}
{key: D}
{tempo: 120}
{difficulty: beginner}
{phase: 2}
{strand: CR}
{feel: drive}
{lead_voice: any}
{lead_mode: call_response}
{lead_demand: easy}
{harmony: M,H}
{a_cappella: no}
{kit: gtr,bod,fdl}
{set_role: driver}
{lang: en}
{country_tags: NL}
{copyright: pd}
{tags: call-response,canadiana,capstan,chorus,newfoundland,public-domain,shanty,singalong,traditional}

{c: A Newfoundland fishing song with a rollicking "aha me b'ys" call-and-response chorus. Lukey is the fisherman; the boat is the boat. The verses run through Lukey's clothes, his wife, his children, all painted in the same bright Newfoundland-trad colours. An easy entry into the NL repertoire.}
{c: Three chords (D, G, A). Capstan tempo, around 120 BPM. Public domain.}
{c: Strum: boom-chuck, hit the bass note hard on the downbeat. The "aha me b'ys" lands on the last beat of each verse line — the whole crew comes in for it.}

{start_of_verse}
[D]Lukey's boat is painted [A]green
[D]Aha, me [G]b'ys!
[D]Lukey's boat is painted [A]green
The [D]prettiest boat that you've [A]ever [D]seen
[A]Aha, me [G]riddle-i-day, me [A]riddle-i-[D]day
{end_of_verse}

{start_of_verse}
[D]Lukey's boat has a fine fore[A]cuddy
[D]Aha, me [G]b'ys!
[D]Lukey's boat has a fine fore[A]cuddy
And [D]every seam is [A]chinked with [D]putty
[A]Aha, me [G]riddle-i-day, me [A]riddle-i-[D]day
{end_of_verse}

{start_of_verse}
[D]Lukey sailed with a heavy [A]load
[D]Aha, me [G]b'ys!
[D]Lukey sailed with a heavy [A]load
[D]Twenty-one quintals from [A]Twillin[D]gate
[A]Aha, me [G]riddle-i-day, me [A]riddle-i-[D]day
{end_of_verse}

{start_of_verse}
[D]Lukey's rolling out his [A]wire
[D]Aha, me [G]b'ys!
[D]Lukey's rolling out his [A]wire
He's [D]got a sail that the [A]priests ad[D]mire
[A]Aha, me [G]riddle-i-day, me [A]riddle-i-[D]day
{end_of_verse}

{start_of_verse}
[D]I don't want yer maggoty [A]fish
[D]Aha, me [G]b'ys!
[D]I don't want yer maggoty [A]fish
[D]That's no good for [A]winter [D]dish
[A]Aha, me [G]riddle-i-day, me [A]riddle-i-[D]day
{end_of_verse}

{start_of_verse}
[D]Lukey's wife is dead and [A]gone
[D]Aha, me [G]b'ys!
[D]Lukey's wife is dead and [A]gone
Now [D]Lukey lives a[A]lone alone
[A]Aha, me [G]riddle-i-day, me [A]riddle-i-[D]day
{end_of_verse}

{c: ===== HOW TO PLAY IT =====}
{c: Call-and-response: the shantyman sings the lead line; the crew comes in on "Aha me b'ys!" and on the "Aha me riddle-i-day" tag. By verse 2 the audience joins in.}
{c: Floating verses — you can sing the verses in any order, repeat the best ones, or write a new one about a local fisherman.}
{c: Great Big Sea's recorded version is the modern reference; The Anglers' rendition is the more traditional one.}