The Dubliners - The Herring lyrics

There was a poor thing that
Flowed in with the tide
It was forty feet long, boys
And forty feet wide
And we called it the herring that
Came it with the tide

Take him away and don't delay
One your leg, two your leg, three your leg
Throw your leg, over me Johnny sez she

Well, what do you think we
Made out of his head
But the grandest oul oven
That ever baked bread
With me herrings and heads
And oven baked breads

Take him away and don't delay
One your leg, two your leg, three your leg
Throw your leg, over me Johnny sez she

Well what do you think we
Made out of his eyes
But lovely big pair of blue butterflies
With me herrings and heads
And oven baked breads
Herrings and eyes and blue butterflies

Take him away and don't delay
One your leg, two your leg, three your leg
Throw your leg, over me Johnny sez she

Well what do you think we
Made out of his back
But lovely big sailor and we called him Jack
With me herrings and heads
And oven baked breads
Herrings and eyes and blue butterflies
Herrings and backs and sailors called Jack

Take him away and don't delay
One your leg, two your leg, three your leg
Throw your leg, over me Johnny sez she

Well what do you think we
Made out of his belly
But lovely looking girl and
We christened her Nellie
With me herrings and heads
And oven baked breads
Herrings and eyes and blue butterflies
Herrings and backs and sailors called Jack
Herrings and bellies and girls called Nellies

Take him away and don't delay
One your leg, two your leg, three your leg
Throw your leg, over me Johnny sez she

Well, what do you think we
Made out of his fins
But a grand big box of needles and pins
With me herrings and heads
And oven baked breads
Herrings and eyes and blue butterflies
Herrings and backs and sailors called Jack
Herrings and bellies and girls called Nellie
Herrings and fins and needles and pins

Take him away and don't delay
One your leg, two your leg, three your leg
Throw your leg, over me Johnny sez she

Well, what do you think we made out of
His tail, but the grandest oul ship, boys
That ever set sail
With me herrings and heads
And oven baked breads
Herrings and eyes and blue butterflies
Herrings and backs and sailors called Jack
Herrings and bellies and girls called Nellie
Herrings and fins and needles and pins
With the herrings and tails
And ships setting sail

Take him away and don't delay
One your leg, two your leg, three your leg
Throw your leg, over me Johnny sez she

Well, come all your young girls
That are tryin' to prude
The next two verses are awfully rude
So, if you don't like them you
Can be on your way

Take him away and don't delay
One your leg, two your leg, three your leg
Throw your leg, over me Johnny sez she