Squid Jiggin' Ground
Composer(s): Art Scammell
Performer(s): Hank Snow; Stompin' Tom Connors; Schooner Fare



Oh, this is the place where the fishermen gather
In oilskins and boots and Cape Anns battened down
All sizes of figures with squid lines and jiggers
They congregate here on the squid jigging ground
Some are working their jiggers while others are yarning
There's some standing up and there's more lying down
While all kinds of fun, jokes and tricks are begun
As they wait for the squid on the squid jigging ground

There's men of all ages and boys in the bargain
There's old Billy Cave and there's young Raymond Brown
There's a red ranting Tory out here in a dory
A-running down Squires on the squid jigging ground

There's men from the Harbour, there's men from the Tickle
In all kinds of motorboats, green, grey and brown
Right yonder there's Bobby and with him is Noddy
He's chawing hard tack on the squid jigging ground

Oh, God bless my sou'wester, there's Skipper John Chaffey
He's the best hand at squid jigging here, I'll be bound
Hello, what's the row? Why he's jigging one now
It's the very first squid on the squid jigging ground

Now, the man with the whiskers is old Jacob Steele
He's getting well up but he's still pretty sound
While Uncle Bob Hawkins wears six pairs of stockings
Whenever he's out on the squid jigging ground

Holy smoke! What a scuffle, all hands are excited
`Tis a wonder to me that there's nobody drowned
There's confusion, a bustle, a wonderful hustle
They're all jigging squids on the squid jigging ground

Says Bobby, "The squids are on top of the water
I just got my jiggers `bout one fathom down
But a squid in the boat squirted right down his throat
And he's swearing like mad on the squid jigging ground

There's poor Uncle Billy, his whiskers are spattered
With spots of the squid juice that's flying around
One poor little boy got it right in the eye
But they don't give a darn on the squid jigging ground

Now if ever you feel so inclined to go squidding
Leave your white shirts and collars behind in the town
And if you get cranky without your silk hanky
You'd better steer clear of the squid jigging ground