The Feejee Mermaid
from The Oyster Aristocracy by Bob Wright and Harbortown
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lyrics
THE TRUE AND ACTUAL ACCOUNT OF BARNUM’S FEEJEE MERMAID
© Bob Wright
She’s the only mermaid that you can’t get wet.
Late one night off the Feejee coast
A native fisherman went out in his boat
He cast his lines he set his nets
Then sat back to see what he’d get
A cloud rolled over the man in the moon
The water boiled… he grabbed a harpoon
Something rose up sad to say
The fisherman fired away
Many years later he could still recall
That bloody sight that mournful call
For it wasn’t a tuna fish or whale
But a mermaid girl that he had by the tail
Her eyes grew dim as he held her near
She whispered softly in his ear
I can’t believe that I’ve been caught
while I was heading to New York
Right after that the mermaid died
He held her for a while and cried
He stroked her gills and swore that he
Would see she got across the sea
He packed her up in ice and hailed
A Yankee ship that was hunting whales
The captain smelt opportunity
And he knew who to go and see
Old Phineas T couldn’t believe his eyes
He couldn’t wait to advertise
People lined up around the block
To see what the Feejee man had caught
For a quarter of a dollar see a daughter of the sea
She’s the most amazing thing that you have ever seen
Control the urge to holler control the urge to scream
Your safety is assured at the American Museum
And… she’s the only mermaid that you can’t get wet
© Bob Wright
She’s the only mermaid that you can’t get wet.
Late one night off the Feejee coast
A native fisherman went out in his boat
He cast his lines he set his nets
Then sat back to see what he’d get
A cloud rolled over the man in the moon
The water boiled… he grabbed a harpoon
Something rose up sad to say
The fisherman fired away
Many years later he could still recall
That bloody sight that mournful call
For it wasn’t a tuna fish or whale
But a mermaid girl that he had by the tail
Her eyes grew dim as he held her near
She whispered softly in his ear
I can’t believe that I’ve been caught
while I was heading to New York
Right after that the mermaid died
He held her for a while and cried
He stroked her gills and swore that he
Would see she got across the sea
He packed her up in ice and hailed
A Yankee ship that was hunting whales
The captain smelt opportunity
And he knew who to go and see
Old Phineas T couldn’t believe his eyes
He couldn’t wait to advertise
People lined up around the block
To see what the Feejee man had caught
For a quarter of a dollar see a daughter of the sea
She’s the most amazing thing that you have ever seen
Control the urge to holler control the urge to scream
Your safety is assured at the American Museum
And… she’s the only mermaid that you can’t get wet
credits
from The Oyster Aristocracy,
released January 1, 2009
license
all rights reserved
tags
about
Bob Wright/ Harbortown New York, New York
He is a multi-instrumentalist, an award winning songwriter and Bob Wright songs are often mistaken for traditional songs because their immigrant roots run deep beneath the surface of America and back to the places they came from for nurturing and inspiration. They surface in a modern world, constructed with a modern sensibility and a comforting resonance with the past. ... more
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