or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Colour:
Image not available

 

Fisherman's Blues

The Waterboys Audio CD
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
Price: £4.97 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Only 9 left in stock (more on the way).
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon. Gift-wrap available.
Want delivery by Tuesday, 28 May? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details

Amazon's The Waterboys Store

Music

Image of album by The Waterboys

Photos

Image of The Waterboys

Videos

September 1913
Visit Amazon's The Waterboys Store
for 40 albums, 10 photos, videos, discussions, and more.

Frequently Bought Together

Fisherman's Blues + The Best Of The Waterboys '81-'90 + Room To Roam
Price For All Three: £16.25

Buy the selected items together

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Product details

  • Audio CD (1 July 1990)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Label: EMI
  • ASIN: B000008M54
  • Other Editions: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,562 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

1. Fisherman's Blues
2. We Will Not Be Lovers
3. Strange Boat
4. World Party
5. Sweet Thing
6. Jimmy Hickey's Waltz
7. And A Bang On The Ear
8. Has Anybody Seen Hank
9. When Will We Be Married
10. When Ye Go Away
11. Dunfords Fancy
12. The Stolen Child
13. This Land Is Your Land

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk

When The Waterboys' Irish violinist Steve Wickham suggested to Mike Scott that Spiddal was a great place to get away from it all, no-one could have guessed how Scott would take his advice to heart. Within less than a year The Waterboys were transformed from stadium rock incumbents to adopted Irish folk-rockers. Fisherman's Blues is the entrancing outcome of that transition. If the family snapshot on the cover is to be taken at face value, one might imagine this to be an idyllic time in The Waterboys career. In truth, the sessions were painstaking, with Scott discarding over 50 songs over a two-year process. What remains though, is a classic of its time: from the yearning euphoria of the title track to otherworldly beauty of "When Ye Go Away", lent cohesion by the singularity of Scott's vision. For sheer inspiration and flow, precedents begin and end at Van Morrison's Astral Weeks--a doubly appropriate comparison, this, given Scott's superlative reading of Morrison's "Sweet Thing". --Peter Paphides

Product Description

CD

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
32 of 32 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! This is fantastic....!!! 8 May 2006
Format:Audio CD
Ever since Mike Scott released the sublime Fisherman's Blues in 88 I have been a big fan of this cd. Listening to it clountless times over the decades the music never seems to date, always sounding fresh and fulfilling. So what to make of the new disc 2? Well, in short it's easily the equal of disc 1... if not better! From the first track Carolan's Welcome we're given the impression that this is a solid continuation of the first and original album, there's the beautiful tin whistle accompanying fiddles and bouzouki... but wait...there's a country-rock arrangement figuring heavily in the next song, Killing My Heart which is fantastic!! Then we have You In The Sky, a never-released, never-performed-in-concert song inspired by an American Indian poem set to gospel music. What follows then is music I can only describe as a joy that'll put a big fat smile on your face... this is so good you wonder what was the logic in keeping it under lock and key for so long. This is a goldmine! The uptempo blues If I Can't Have You is worth the album price alone...and just wait till hear Rattle My Bones And Shiver My Soul!!! Trust me, if you like the original Fisherman's Blues then you're gonna love this one. The sound is a vast improvement over the 80's recording that up until now was the only version available. In short, this has been given the same treatment as the remastered This is The Sea 2 discer... but this is much much much better.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
29 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By russell clarke TOP 500 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
"Fishermans Blues" on its original release in 1988, marked a significant step away from the grandiose "big music" they had produced for their earlier albums "A Pagan Place "and "This Is The Sea". It was the guest appearance of violinist Steve Wickham on the track "The Pan Within" from "This Is The Sea" that precipitated the bands change of musical direction to a mixture of more organic folk, country and traditional Irish music. Mike Scott had relocated to Dublin after spending time in Ireland with Wickham and it had a profound effect on his writing as he ,by some sort of musical osmosis, drew on the culture and history around him to produce an album that at the time divided the critics but for me ,was and still is, their best album . It is intimate and warm yet still retains the striking romanticism and epic scope of their previous work.

As ever it's the quality of the songs that really raises "Fishermans Blues" to the mezzanine level of brilliance. Though there are covers - A lovely version of Van Morrisons "Sweet Thing"- and an interpretation of a traditional song -"When Will Be Married?" the originals are just fabulous There is also an almost un-bearably poignant setting to music of William Butler Yeats poem "The Stolen Child" sung by Irish vocalist Tomas Mckeown with tender backing by Scott. THis is one of those songs, like The Triffids "Save What You Can" or "The Forgiveness Song "by The Walkabouts that always leaves me with a lump in the throat the size of a pomegranate.

The album revolves around fiddle, violin, mandolin, Hammond organ and is suitably effervescent and for the main part joyous. The title track more or less confirms this within thirty seconds from Scott's first euphoric whoop and the blissfully whirling violin. There is the country tribute to Hank Williams "Has Anyone Here Seen Hank?" and the more traditionally rock strains of "World Party" , co-written with Karl Wallinger, who of course went on to form a band of the same name. The amusingly whimsical "And A Bang On The Ear" is Scott's run down of his former romantic attachments. "Strange Boat" has a hypnotic melody and a more reflective aura, while "When Ye Go Away" is simply a gorgeous lovelorn lament. The highlight though is "We Will Not Be Lovers" which has furious squalls of violin and a Scott vocal bordering on the demonic, the sound of someone trying very hard to convince himself of something he is not entirely sure about.

The extra tracks come from the same recording sessions where the band recorded over 100 masters .Some from those sessions have already seen the light of day on 2002 compilation "Dream Harder" and like that they are a mixed bunch. There are alternate versions of the title track, "When Ye Go Away", here called "Killing My Heart" and "When Will We Be Married" that add little to the definitive versions. Also here are two Dylan covers "Girl Of The North Country", a truly great song and "Nobody Cept You". None of the new songs make you long for their inclusion on the original, in fact they vindicate the initial choice of songs but they are at the very least compelling compliments to the original and as are all the songs from these sessions are wonderfully arranged and performed.

"Fishermans Blues" is an album I never tire of hearing. The sheer joy and contagious brio that the musicians communicate with their playing transcribes itself on the listener and even in its doughtier moments that passion is still tangible. Music this detersive is sadly all too rare. I reiterate, easily The Waterboys finest album, a wind swept salty gem.
Was this review helpful to you?
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Bloody excellent! 27 May 2006
Format:Audio CD
I remember the first time I heard "Fishermans Blues" was in Brighton during a backpacking trip back in 1990. I was blown away and have ad it in my player ever since! I'm a diehard fan I guess you could say! Well the new collectors edition is just as amazing. "Killing my Heart" is an upbeat version of "When Ye Go Away" and the title track has been revamped with flutes and a laidback bouncieness that is truly refreshing. The Dylan covers rock and there are a few of the best tracks from "The Live Adventures Of The Waterboys". Its a great 2nd disc as good as the first. For those that don't have the first yet. It's a classic and if you like Irish folk/rock music it belongs in your collection.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?   Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars A return to an old favourite
The extras are interesting. First time round on vinyl it was great. Now we have these extra tracks and I'm listening again with fresh ears
Published 1 month ago by Lachie MacDougall
4.0 out of 5 stars Fisherman's Blues.
A nice mix of songs taking you back to the Waterboys Roots. Heavily discounted now so it is definitely worth a listen.
Published 3 months ago by David Townrow djt
4.0 out of 5 stars Love it
Great album, but I am a fan. Think they have added a slightly different version of 'World Party' and would have been nice to see the original on there as well.
Published 4 months ago by Krash
5.0 out of 5 stars Blast from the past
At the time this album was originally released, I didn't like it very much. The first album was more rock-folk whereas this one is more folk-folk-rock light. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mike
5.0 out of 5 stars Great!
Such an amazing effort from the water boys. I bough mines for just over £15 pound and it was totally worth it! Would highly recommend, A great album!
Published 8 months ago by Shannon
5.0 out of 5 stars timeless!
I've never written an online review before and never will again. My only reason for doing so is to try and spread the word a little more about this wonderful album, without doubt... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Hank
3.0 out of 5 stars An opposing view.....
I have to say I'm at odds with the vast majority of reviews here on Amazon. For me the album starts superbly. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Karlos
5.0 out of 5 stars Like Meeting An Old Friend
I hadn't listened to this for years. I strum the title track on an accoustic guitar occasionally but I rarely break anything out on vinyl these days. Read more
Published on 22 Oct 2010 by robotfish
5.0 out of 5 stars waterboys
from start to finish this is the Waterboys at the the top . still sounds as good today as they did when they first came out
Published on 6 Aug 2010 by Mr. Raymond C. Spicer
4.0 out of 5 stars Fisherman's Blues
Every group seems to have their magnum opus. This is the Waterboys' magnum opus. It's a classic, timeless album that you can keep coming back to. Read more
Published on 28 April 2010 by Chris W.
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Discussion Replies Latest Post
A-Z (III) Uncharted - Track 12 - L - Nominations 16 7 seconds ago
What Are You Hearing At The Moment - Part III 2945 10 minutes ago
A-Z (III) Uncharted - Track 10 - J - Voting 38 11 minutes ago
Music Forum's Fave Artist(s), Track 146 - Throwing Muses nominated by TheFoe, Voting 6 13 minutes ago
What artists/bands have you got tickets for and/or who've you seen recently? 610 27 minutes ago
Neph's One Offs Track 6 (Disco/Funk) - Voting 13 34 minutes ago
"BALL UP!" - Val's 2013 Aussie Rules Footy Tipping *Open to Everyone* 9well, almost) 297 1 hour ago
Call and Response Part 11 11 3 hours ago
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums


What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Listmania!


Look for similar items by category


Feedback


Amazon.co.uk Privacy Statement Amazon.co.uk Delivery Information Amazon.co.uk Returns & Exchanges