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{{Short description|Folk song by Johnny Burke}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2021}}
'''"Excursion Around The Bay"''' is a folk song written by [[Johnny Burke (Newfoundland songwriter)|Johnny Burke]] (1851-1930) in Newfoundland.

It was covered by [[Great Big Sea]] on their 1993 and 2000 albums, ''[[Great Big Sea (album)|Great Big Sea]]'' and ''[[Road Rage (Great Big Sea album)|Road Rage]]'', and then again on their live recording, [[Great Big DVD and CD|''Great Big DVD'' and ''CD'']]. Most recently it was featured on their album ''[[Courage & Patience & Grit]]''.

It was covered by the [https://derinaharvey.com/ Derina Harvey Band] on their 2013 album "dHb."

==Lyrics==
It was early Monday morning, and the day be calm and fine, 
To the [[Harbour Grace, Newfoundland and Labrador|Harbour Grace]] excursion, with the boys to have a time; 
And just before the sailor pulled the gangway from the pier, 
I saw some fella haul me wife on board as a Volunteer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/cns/id/77964|title=The old time songs and poetry of Newfoundland : songs of folklore, humor, tragedy and history, from the days of our forefathers :: NL Books - General|website=collections.mun.ca|access-date=2019-11-23}} Page 55.</ref>

'''Chorus:'''

''O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,'' 
''O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;'' 
''O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,'' 
''I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.''

We had three hundred souls on board, oh what a splendid sight, 
Matt Strong in regimentals, to make our spirits bright; 
With meself being in the double, with the funny things they'd say, 
And they'd choke themselves from laughing, when they see us in the bay.

''O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry'', 
''O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die''; 
''O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,'' 
''I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.''

Now, me wife she got no better, she turned a sickly green, 
I fed her cake and candy, [[lard|fat pork]] and kerosene; 
[[Castor-oil]] and sugar of candy, I rubbed pure-oil on her face, 
And they said she'd be a dandy, when she reaches Harbour Grace.

''O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,'' 
''O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;'' 
''O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,'' 
''I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.''

My wife she got no better, my wife, my darling dear, 
The screeches from her throat, you could hear in [[Carbonear, Newfoundland and Labrador|Carbonear]]; 
I searched every place in Harbour Grace, searched every store and shop, 
To get her something for the cure, or take her to the hop.

''O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,'' 
''O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;'' 
''O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,'' 
''I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.''

Oh, she died below the Brandies, as we were coming back, 
We buried her in the ocean, wrapped up in the [[Union Jack]]; 
And now I am a single man, in search of a pretty face, 
And the woman who says she'll have me, sure I'm off for Harbour Grace.

''O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife cry,'' 
''O Me, O My, I think I'm gonna die;'' 
''O Me, O My, I heard me poor wife say,'' 
''I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay.''

==Meaning==

Excursions were a long-standing tradition of [[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador]]. They were essentially an all-day party attended by hundreds of people, in which they would all travel together by train or boat and then do activities at the destination. Excursions were often characterized by excessive drinking and rowdy behaviour. One of the most popular destinations was [[Harbour Grace]], as immortalized in the song.<ref>{{cite web |title=Excursion around the Bay - Archival Moment |url=http://archivalmoments.ca/2017/04/19/excursion-around-the-bay/ |website=Archival Moments |date=19 April 2017 |accessdate=6 September 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Newfoundland songs]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Excursion Around The Bay}}
[[Category:Newfoundland and Labrador folk songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Johnny Burke (Newfoundland songwriter)]]
[[Category:Canadian folk songs]]
[[Category:Year of song unknown]]
[[Category:Great Big Sea songs]]

Excursion Around the Bay - Revision history

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