Stan Rogers
“The last song written for this particular album. ‘The Citadel’ is, of course, Citadel Hill in Halifax, and the ship with ‘her picture on a dime’ is, of course, the Bluenose. A pox on all those who tear down the old merely to make way for something new.”
It was in the spring this year of grace, with new life pushing through That I looked from the citadel down to the narrows and asked what it’s coming to I saw Upper Canadian concrete and glass right down to the water line And I heard an old song down on Fisherman’s Wharf Can I sing it just one time With half-closed eyes against the sun, for the warm wind giving thank I dreamed of the years of the deep-laden schooners thrashing home from the Grand Banks The last lies done in the harbour sun with her picture on a dime I have heard an old song down on Fisherman’s Wharf, can I sing it just one time And haul away and heave her home, this song is heard no more No boats to sing them for, no sails to sing them for There rises now a single tide of tourists passing through We traded old ways for the new Old ways for the new Old ways for the new For the new Now you ask “What’s this romantic boy, Who laments what’s done and gone?” There was no romance on a cold winter ocean and the gale sang an awful song But my fathers knew of wind and tide, and my blood is Maritime And I heard an old song down on Fisherman’s Wharf Can I sing it just one time