Tofino Herring Shanty          © Bob Bossin

The packer’s lit up like a Christmas Tree,
Pretty little silver fishes
The herring fleet’s a city afloat upon the sea,
Pull the fish off girls.

The rain’s pouring down and the wind’s southeast
Pretty little silver fishes
Poor buggers in their tents on Chesterman’s Beach
Pull the fish off girls.

When the fish come in, it’s a silver river,
Pretty little silver fishes
When the boys come in, it’s the Hotel Maquinna,
Pull the fish off girls.

CHORUS:   Pull and squeeze and pull and squeeze
Pretty little silver fishes;
Pull and squeeze and pull and squeeze
Pull the fish off girls.

Herring, Herring;
Herring, Herring;

Before I die, I would have one wish:
Pretty little silver fishes
I would work the line at Canadian Fish,
Pull the fish off girls.

Sixteen women and just one man
Pretty little silver fishes
Squeezin’ bellies with the woman in the red bandana
Pull the fish off girls.

I’d listen to those women telling all their secrets
Pretty little silver fishes
Then I’d run to the Maquinna, and I’d repeat it
Pull the fish off girls.
[CHORUS]

Herring,   herring;
Herring,   herring.

(Instrumental verse)
[CHORUS]

The salmon jump at the herring in the bay
Pretty little silver fishes
Then the seiners hit the herring and the salmon swim away
Pull the fish off girls.

Now the herring jump as the salmon swim by,
Pretty little silver fishes
B.C. Packers says “Jump!”,   and it says how high!
Pull the fish off girls.

So that Tokyo can have the roes__
Pull the fish off girls.
[CHORUS]