Leon Rosselson 1999
Rosselson has remarked that the song emerged from a play he’d written, but further details are not known. “The ‘I’ is not the songwriter; the old man is an imagined character, and Harry may not exist, may never have existed. But maybe sometimes people need a saviour to believe in and Harry, even if he doesn’t exist, has got a lot more going for him than, say, the Gospel Jesus.”
Nancy Kerr: https://nancykerr.bandcamp.com/track/harrys-gone-fishing
https://nancykerr.bandcamp.com/track/harrys-gone-fishing
My heart was cold as midnight, my mind was worry worn As I wondered through the city where William Blake was born Past huddled shapes in doorways and towers made of glass Then an old man came towards me and he would not let me pass The years had withered in his face, was he drunk or in despair? He led me to a silent street, said “see that waste ground there? They never should have knocked it down, if only we’d known how We could’ve stopped them doing it.” I said “it’s too late now” Chorus 1: And h? said “Harry could’ve done it, ’cause h? could put right every wrong He could turn sighs into silence and silence into song He could turn frowns into laughter, he could turn lost into found He could turn wine into water, or is it the other way around? Yes Harry could’ve done it, and Harry was my pal But Harry’s gone fishing in the paradise canal” He said “you see that pile of rubble with the barbed wire all around That used to be our local now it’s a battle ground” He said “I’ve lived my life here in this god forsaken street That pub was our one bit of hope it’s where we used to meet Now they want to build an office block with a car park there as well A tarty supermarket; I hope they rot in hell They say it will improve the place but it won’t do much for me What I need is a bit of beach and the salt wind from the sea” Chorus 2:ÿ And he said “Harry could’ve done it, ’cause he’d have made it turn out right He could turn the lonely into fighters and the mighty into blight He could turn saints into sinners he could turn ashes into sparks And he could turn the tables on the bankers and the sharks Yes Harry could’ve done it, and Harry was my pal But Harry’s gone fishing in the paradise canal They say it will improve the place well nobody asked me What I want is a bit of beach and the sunlight on the sea A lovely stretch of sand where me and all my mates can meet With gentle waves to paddle in and wash our tired feet And we’ll stretch out on our deckchairs, let the sunshine soothe our pain And we’ll make the high and mighty serve us winkles and champagne It isn’t very much too ask; I’ll be a long time dead Do you think you could arrange that?” I laughed and shook my head Chorus 3: And he said “Harry could’ve done it. ’cause he was always on our side He could turn Punch and Judy into Bonnie and Clyde He could turn shalt not into why not, he could turn is into seems He could turn armies into forests and darkness into dreams And it would turn your blood to fire when it was Harry’s turn to speak But one thing he would never do is turn the other cheek” So I left him in that silent street, an old man lost in space His wild-eyed delusions dancing on his wizened face And I walked on through that city with it’s temples made of brass Then a great crowd swept towards me and they would not let me pass The hungry and the homeless, downtrodden and distressed A wretched ragged rabble of the outcast and oppressed The unwashed and the unwanted on whom the sun has never shone And the banners they were waving said “Harry lives on” Chorus 4: And they sang “Harry’s gone fishing, but he will turn up by and by When a Saman sun rises in a bright morning sky And he’ll turn shalt not in to why not, he’ll turn is into seems He’ll turn armies into forests and darkness into dreams He’ll turn saints into sinners, he’ll turn ashes into sparks And he will turn the tables on the bankers and the sharks He’ll turn frowns into laughter, he’ll turn lost into found He’ll turn wine into water – no wait; the other way around And the rich shall wear the saddle and the poor shall wear the crown When Harry rises up and turns the world upside down