Men Of The Sea Lyrics And Guitar Chords by The McCalmans
(John Conolly/Bill Meek) Lyrics and chords fit the McCalmans’ version form their album ‘Peace And Plenty’(to play along use a capo on the 1st fret) The sheet music notes are included.
At the [D]age of fif[G]teen I shipped [A]out from the [D]Humber
Me [D]very first [G]trip for the [A]Silver Pits [D]bound
I was [D]galley-boy, [G]mess-man, the [A]lowest of [D]callings
But at [D]last I was [G]off to the [A]trawl-fishing [D]grounds
Chorus
[A]Fair Isle to Labrador
[G]Bear Isle and Norway
And [D]cold Greenland [A]shore
[D]Learning me [G]trade with the [A]men of the [D]sea
Long [D]years as a [G]deckie I [A]hauled for me [D]living
And [D]dodged on the [G]deck through the [A]wild Arctic [D]gales
Knew the [D]tight grip of [G]fear as the [A]cold sea swept [D]o'er me
And I [D]soon learned the [G]truth of the [A]old trawling [D]tales
Chorus
Bridge C-G-D-D
And [D]in between [G]trips, well, the [A]town couldn't [D]hold me
A [D]two-day ty[G]coon with me [A]head full of [D]rum
A [D]girl on each [G]arm and a [A]pocket soon [D]empty
Live [D]now and pay [G]later, there's [A]hard days to [D]come
Chorus + Bridge
Now I [D]know every [G]hull as it [A]tops the ho[D]rizon
I've [D]learned all the [G]tricks of the [A]trawlfishing [D]trade
Know the [D]sea as pro[G]vider, be[A]trayer, and [D]taker
I've [D]got me mate's [G]ticket, me [A]future is [D]made
As a [D]skipper at [G]last, I stand [A]tall on the [D]dockside
From the [D]boy to the [G]man to the [A]master of [D]men
Now the [D]ocean is [G]mine as we [A]slip from the [D]harbour
And [D]back to the [G]sea to start [A]learning a[D]gain
Chorus
[D]Learning me [G]trade with the [A]men of the [D]sea
C-G-D-D C-G-D-D
Me [D]very first [G]trip for the [A]Silver Pits [D]bound
I was [D]galley-boy, [G]mess-man, the [A]lowest of [D]callings
But at [D]last I was [G]off to the [A]trawl-fishing [D]grounds
Chorus
[A]Fair Isle to Labrador
[G]Bear Isle and Norway
And [D]cold Greenland [A]shore
[D]Learning me [G]trade with the [A]men of the [D]sea
Long [D]years as a [G]deckie I [A]hauled for me [D]living
And [D]dodged on the [G]deck through the [A]wild Arctic [D]gales
Knew the [D]tight grip of [G]fear as the [A]cold sea swept [D]o'er me
And I [D]soon learned the [G]truth of the [A]old trawling [D]tales
Chorus
Bridge C-G-D-D
And [D]in between [G]trips, well, the [A]town couldn't [D]hold me
A [D]two-day ty[G]coon with me [A]head full of [D]rum
A [D]girl on each [G]arm and a [A]pocket soon [D]empty
Live [D]now and pay [G]later, there's [A]hard days to [D]come
Chorus + Bridge
Now I [D]know every [G]hull as it [A]tops the ho[D]rizon
I've [D]learned all the [G]tricks of the [A]trawlfishing [D]trade
Know the [D]sea as pro[G]vider, be[A]trayer, and [D]taker
I've [D]got me mate's [G]ticket, me [A]future is [D]made
As a [D]skipper at [G]last, I stand [A]tall on the [D]dockside
From the [D]boy to the [G]man to the [A]master of [D]men
Now the [D]ocean is [G]mine as we [A]slip from the [D]harbour
And [D]back to the [G]sea to start [A]learning a[D]gain
Chorus
[D]Learning me [G]trade with the [A]men of the [D]sea
C-G-D-D C-G-D-D
🎸 2. Strumming Pattern (Strong 4/4 “Seafarer” Pulse)
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Count: 1 2 & 3 & 4 &
How it feels:
1: firm downstroke on bass note (representing the ship’s “heave”)
2 & 3 &: rolling mid–high strings (the sea motion)
4 &: finish with a light up–down to keep the rhythm flowing.
Dynamic tip:
Keep verses soft but rhythmic, like the hum of an engine room.
Build up the chorus a bit louder with fuller downstrokes.
Simplified version for storytelling parts:
↓ (pause) ↓↑
Count: 1 – 2 – 3&4
🎸 3. Fingerpicking Pattern (Rolling Folk 4/4)
Use this thumb–index–middle–ring repeating pattern for a smooth sea roll.
Pattern:
T – I – M – A – M – I – M – A
Each measure covers one chord, giving a rippling texture.
🎶 Example Fingerpicking Tabs
D Major
e|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
G Major
e|--------3-----------3-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2-----------------------------|
E|--3-----------------------------|
A Major
e|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------2---2-------2---2---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|--0-----------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
💡 Example (Verse Fingerpicked)
D G
e|--------2-----------2-------|--------3-----------3-------|
B|------3---3-------3---3-----|------0---0-------0---0-----|
G|----2-------2---2-------2---|----0-------0---0-------0---|
D|--0-----------0-------------|--0-----------0-------------|
A|-----------------------------|--2-------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|--3-------------------------|
At the age of fifteen I shipped out from the Humber...
💡 Example (Chorus Strummed)
[A]Fair Isle to Labrador
[G]Bear Isle and Norway
And [D]cold Greenland [A]shore
[D]Learning me [G]trade with the [A]men of the [D]sea
Try accenting beats 1 and 3 — it gives that nautical work rhythm like sailors hauling nets.
⚓️ Performance Tips
🎵 Feel:
Imagine the rhythm of waves hitting the hull — steady, not rushed.
Strum with the side of your thumb or fingers for a warmer tone (avoid harsh pick attack).
🎵 Bass motion (for movement):
D: alternate 4th → 5th string
G: 6th → 4th
A: 5th → 4th
🎵 Optional hammer-ons (to add character):
On D, hammer 0→2 on G string occasionally.
On G, hammer 0→2 on A string.
On A, hammer 0→2 on D string.
🎵 Ending:
Finish softly with a slow, arpeggiated D chord, letting it fade like the tide:
e|--2-----------|
B|----3---------|
G|------2-------|
D|--0-----------|
A|--------------|
E|--------------|
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Count: 1 2 & 3 & 4 &
How it feels:
1: firm downstroke on bass note (representing the ship’s “heave”)
2 & 3 &: rolling mid–high strings (the sea motion)
4 &: finish with a light up–down to keep the rhythm flowing.
Dynamic tip:
Keep verses soft but rhythmic, like the hum of an engine room.
Build up the chorus a bit louder with fuller downstrokes.
Simplified version for storytelling parts:
↓ (pause) ↓↑
Count: 1 – 2 – 3&4
🎸 3. Fingerpicking Pattern (Rolling Folk 4/4)
Use this thumb–index–middle–ring repeating pattern for a smooth sea roll.
Pattern:
T – I – M – A – M – I – M – A
Each measure covers one chord, giving a rippling texture.
🎶 Example Fingerpicking Tabs
D Major
e|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
G Major
e|--------3-----------3-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2-----------------------------|
E|--3-----------------------------|
A Major
e|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------2---2-------2---2---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|--0-----------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
💡 Example (Verse Fingerpicked)
D G
e|--------2-----------2-------|--------3-----------3-------|
B|------3---3-------3---3-----|------0---0-------0---0-----|
G|----2-------2---2-------2---|----0-------0---0-------0---|
D|--0-----------0-------------|--0-----------0-------------|
A|-----------------------------|--2-------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|--3-------------------------|
At the age of fifteen I shipped out from the Humber...
💡 Example (Chorus Strummed)
[A]Fair Isle to Labrador
[G]Bear Isle and Norway
And [D]cold Greenland [A]shore
[D]Learning me [G]trade with the [A]men of the [D]sea
Try accenting beats 1 and 3 — it gives that nautical work rhythm like sailors hauling nets.
⚓️ Performance Tips
🎵 Feel:
Imagine the rhythm of waves hitting the hull — steady, not rushed.
Strum with the side of your thumb or fingers for a warmer tone (avoid harsh pick attack).
🎵 Bass motion (for movement):
D: alternate 4th → 5th string
G: 6th → 4th
A: 5th → 4th
🎵 Optional hammer-ons (to add character):
On D, hammer 0→2 on G string occasionally.
On G, hammer 0→2 on A string.
On A, hammer 0→2 on D string.
🎵 Ending:
Finish softly with a slow, arpeggiated D chord, letting it fade like the tide:
e|--2-----------|
B|----3---------|
G|------2-------|
D|--0-----------|
A|--------------|
E|--------------|
