When last I was a fisherman I'd watch the storms rise up from the sea And see it as a sign to me That the sea was still my mistress And teasing me for love When last I was a fisherman I'd watch the whale-fish blow And rise up from the darkest deep real slow And see it as a sign to me That she was still my mistress And teasing me for love I never knew why she loved me I never tried for her favour I wouldn't have known how I wouldn't have known how And I didn't have the know-how To heel and toe her, heel and toe her I only knew that she was my mistress And teasing me for love When last I was a fisherman I lay along the sea wall My body pressed against The blue of her occupation elsewhere She was busy with the other boats But I knew she'd turn her belly back to me When she was free When last I was a fisherman I'd stand against the sea My skiff adrift in ecstasy The mast a-singing, the salt a-stinging I'd see it as a sign to me That she was still my mistress And just teasing me for love I never knew why she loved me... When last I was a fisherman I lay awake one night Her cooing and raving nearby And I waited in youthful eagerness For the dawn's first hint of light For my mistress to come For she to come to me I knew she was coming I could feel her coming And I waited and I waited And I waited and I waited... 'Til I raised my voice unto the night And only heard a baby's cry I never knew why she loved me...