Bluenose Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Once again with the tide she slips her lines
Turns her head and comes awake
Where she lay so still there at Privateer's Wharf
Now she quickly gathers way
She will range far south from the harbour mouth
And rejoice with every wave
Who will know the Bluenose in the sun?
[Verse 2]
Feel her bow rise free of Mother Sea
In a sunburst cloud of spray
That stings the cheek while the rigging will speak
Of sea-miles gone away
She is always best under full press
Hard over as she'll lay
And who will know the Bluenose in the sun?
[Bridge]
That proud, fast queen of the Grand Banks fleet
Portrayed on every dime
Knew hard work in her time
Hard work in every line
The rich men's toys of the Gloucester boys
With their token bit of cod
They snapped their spars and strained to pass her by
But she left them all behind
Once again with the tide she slips her lines
Turns her head and comes awake
Where she lay so still there at Privateer's Wharf
Now she quickly gathers way
She will range far south from the harbour mouth
And rejoice with every wave
Who will know the Bluenose in the sun?
[Verse 2]
Feel her bow rise free of Mother Sea
In a sunburst cloud of spray
That stings the cheek while the rigging will speak
Of sea-miles gone away
She is always best under full press
Hard over as she'll lay
And who will know the Bluenose in the sun?
[Bridge]
That proud, fast queen of the Grand Banks fleet
Portrayed on every dime
Knew hard work in her time
Hard work in every line
The rich men's toys of the Gloucester boys
With their token bit of cod
They snapped their spars and strained to pass her by
But she left them all behind
[Verse 3]
Now her namesake daughter remains to show what she has been
What every schoolboy remembers and will not come again
To think she's the last of the Grand Banks schooners
That fed so many men
And who will know the Bluenose in the sun?
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 4]
So does she not take wing like a living thing
Child of the moving tide?
See her pass with grace on the water's face
With clean and quiet pride
Our own tall ship of great renown still lifts unto the sky
Who will know the Bluenose in the sun?
Now her namesake daughter remains to show what she has been
What every schoolboy remembers and will not come again
To think she's the last of the Grand Banks schooners
That fed so many men
And who will know the Bluenose in the sun?
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 4]
So does she not take wing like a living thing
Child of the moving tide?
See her pass with grace on the water's face
With clean and quiet pride
Our own tall ship of great renown still lifts unto the sky
Who will know the Bluenose in the sun?
About
Genius Annotation
Stan Rogers wrote this song for a short film, Bluenose in the Sun (NS 116) (1977). It was his least favourite of his songs about the Maritime provinces of Canada, and he claimed to have written it quickly and without a lot of thought just to be involved in the project.
That’s deeply ironic, because it’s one of his most beloved songs by fans and casual listeners alike. The songcraft and musicianship are peerless, whatever Stan said!
Rogers also gave the musical treatment to Bluenose’s sister vessel, Blue Dolphin, conceived as a pleasure vessel rather than a fishing schooner, on 1984’s From Fresh Water. Read the lyrics and annotations here.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 2.Oh No, Not I
- 4.Bluenose
- 6.So Blue
- 7.Front Runner
- 10.Turnaround
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