The Fisherman’s Song by Ken Price And now I must sing you the fisherman’s song About those old boys with their carbon rods long Who sit by the piling that runs down the edge And chuck all their rubbish in bags in the hedge. Chorus: Cast it here, cast it there, If they don’t lift ‘em high enough You’ve a hook in your hair It’s when you’re out boating you’re in for some shocks You’ll see them all sat on their blue Shakespeare box Umbrellas like mushrooms in case of a shower And chanting their mantra “IT’S FOUR MILES AN HOUR!” Chorus They sit on the bank, rods across the cut wide. Why not buy a short one and sit t’other side? Just think of the money they’ll save, t’would be grand And just like their sex lives, use only one hand. Chorus From Aylesbury to Tyseley, from Brentford to Brum These fishermen types are a pain in the bum No matter how gently you try to float past You’ll always here “OI MATE! THAT’S TOO BLOODY FAST!” Chorus Now all you boat ladies who come down this way Beware of those chaps with their tackle on display Who sit by the piling that runs down the bank I’ll tell you my darling they’re not worth a …thank! Final Chorus This song was provided by Tony Blagrove a cousin of David Blagrove who wrote a number of well-known canal songs. David Blagrove noted that the song was sung to the tune: “Villikins and his Dinah”. He also made the following notes : “This song was composed by Ken Price of Milton Keynes, a spare-time boater and a full-time driver of High Speed Trains, latterly working for the Virgin Railway Group. Like many boaters past and present Ken was regularly infuriated by the selfish and anti-social behaviour of some canal anglers, whose attitude caused many boaters to regard all anglers, quite unfairly, as the same. The result of this was that many boaters in turn took it out on all anglers and did not slack off speed or otherwise treat them with respect. It has to be said that some Angling Clubs have a far stricter code of conduct than others and consequently both their members and boaters enjoy better relations.”