Missy Higgins - Shark Fin Blues Lyrics






Standing on the deck watching my shadow stretch
The sun pours my shadow upon the deck
The waters licking round my ankles now
There ain't no sunshine way way down

I see the sharks out in the water like slicks of ink
Well, there's one there bigger than a submarine
As he circles I look in his eye
I see Jonah in his belly by the campfire light

See the albatross up in the windy lofts
He gets to beating his wings while he sleeps it off
I hear the jettisoned cries from his dreams unkind
Gets to whippin' my ears like a riding crop

The captain once as able as a fink dandy
He's now laid up in the galley like a dried out mink
He's laying dying of thirst and he says or I think
Well, we're gonna be alone from here on in

Well you are all my brothers, and you have been kind
But what were you expecting to find?
Now your eyes turn inwards, countenance turns blank
And I'm floating away on a barrel of pain
It looks like nothing but the sea and sky remain

Na na nana nananana na
Na na nana nananana na
Na na nana nananana na
Na na nana nananana na

A harpoon's shaft is short and wide
A grappling hook's is cracked and dry
I said, why don't you get down in the sea
Turn the water red like you want to be?

Cause if I cry another tear I'll be turned to dust
No the sharks won't get me they don't feel loss
Just keep one eye on the horizon man, you best not blink
They're coming fin by fin until the whole boat sinks

Fin by fin
Fin by fin by fin by fin
Fin by fin
Fin by fin by fin by fin

Na na nana nananana na
Na na nana nananana na
Na na nana nananana na
Na na nana nananana na...





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Missy Higgins Shark Fin Blues Comments
  1. T.... ....

    Talk about completely missing the point. This cover sounds like every white girl who got her hands on a piano. It makes the song A thousand times more shallow.

  2. B.... H....

    I would like to see the original Drones version mashed with this video ...

  3. t.... b....

    Uhggg...
    Why?
    Just.....why?

    It takes everything everything brutal and jagged edged and raw about the original, and turns it into mush, and self indulgence. 0/10

    t.... b....

    Stripped it of everything that made it great. tasteless garbage.

  4. J.... W....

    This stinks compared to the original, yeah I did that.

  5. M.... O....

    Should I downvote this just to balance the ledger to counter all the weirdos who downvoted The Drones original?

  6. P.... D....

    There's some things you just don't try to cover, at least not without radically altering the song. This is one of them. Bob Dylan would be another.
    Terrible judgement, terrible cover.

  7. M.... K....

    Liove your version of shark find blues. So much!
    Find odd one out:
    🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂☺️🙂🙂😊🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂
    😍😍😍😍😍😍🤩😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

  8. A.... M....

    Please list it as a cover

  9. N.... W....

    I hear a lot of raves about liddiard and the drones and I do appreciate what most are saying about his raw emotions with his song .but if I was at a bar and heard the drones I would think to my self yeah their OK but that's it .ok ..even tho it's liddiard song .I heard this song on the radio one night sung by Higgins and I thought F⭐️⭐️k! This songs great with Higgins voice and the orchestra and the backup singers I honestly thought this is a well crafted song .and I wouldn't call me a missy Higgins groupie even tho she's obviously a very talented lady .

  10. M.... C....

    i have this crazy idea.. i like the original AND the cover!! HOLY FUCK I JUST BLEW MY MIND.

  11. b.... ....

    fuck this shitty cover

  12. D.... ....

    bland, boring cover. fuck off

  13. S.... ....

    This surely should be titled .. Missy Higgins - Shark Fin Blues (COVER) ..

  14. L.... R....

    WOW !
    What a song, what a video - so great, so nice, so ...

  15. J.... A....

    Astonishing Video.I will always be enchant to hear you sing Missy.

  16. v.... ....

    Jesus Christ, that was beautiful. The song, the video, all of it.

  17. D.... P....

    That was me, 2009. The barrel of pain is receding, but slowly. I listen to this so as to remember and exult in how far I've come. It was beautiful to me even when it came out, now I can appreciate it so much more.

  18. t.... ....

    i usually dont like missy higgins, or covers of my favorite songs.. but daaaaaamn this gave me goosebumps.

    gareth & missy should definitely do this as a duet

  19. E.... ....

    A beautiful cover, but I think I'll stick to the Drones. I don't think there's any way to improve upon the raw power and emotion of the original.

    E.... ....

    Erin My thoughts exactly.

    E.... ....

    yeah agreed. this is lovely, but Liddiard is desperate and painful. feels like he's yanking his insides out.

    E.... ....

    It's not a contest. Ugh

  20. M.... ....

    ...beautiful!...

  21. L.... M....

    Powerful lyrics... imagery so strong and beautiful. Missy's vocals so poignant.. I love this

  22. S.... D....

    I don't really think of this as a cover of the Drones song. They are so completely different. I like them both but they can't really be compared because they are so different. It's like comparing Taylor Swift to ACDC it just can't be done.

  23. S.... ....

    What a gorgeous song and performance. And the video is poignant and fits the song perfectly. I tried to listen to The Drones' original but couldn't get past the off-key guitar intro. This is supreme.

  24. t.... ....

    Nice vocal rendition, but the video is sooo artsy fartsy. Viva Drones.

    t.... ....

    dude is there really a problem with the video being "artsy fartsy"?

    t.... ....

    Yes...stinks of pretentiousness.

    t.... ....

    Yes, by at least half.

  25. S.... P....

    For anyone who doesn't know, this is a cover of a "The Drones" song. If you like it you should be sure to check out the original.

    S.... P....

    They did, but they're all twelvies that down voted The Drones into oblivion and wrote hateful comments.

    S.... P....

    @Plague Doctor I think ever since some right wing Australian dude was mentioned in the lyrics of 'Taman Shud', his supporters have taken their devestating revenge by downvoting some associated Youtube videos

    S.... P....

    Ahh no my 2cents is with plague...the pop music version is popular and the drones to their credit aren't popular

  26. A.... S....

    what's up with the two guys approaching each other? is it a way to drive it to our minds to accept it as norm, What is not?

  27. O.... J....

    Absolutely Stunning Clip. Magic. Grace. Glide. Soothe...

  28. J.... G....

    I'll always miss you x

  29. D.... T....

    nice - but can't beat the raw emotion from the original...

    D.... T....

    +Daniel Tripp Theres an original???

    D.... T....

    +Tomiwa Aina - Yes - by Australian band - THE DRONES... you can watch the lead singer Gareth Liddiard perform it on Rockwiz over at their website within SBS

    D.... T....

    @Daniel Tripp I listened to it, I prefer this version

    D.... T....

    Just went back and listened to the original - this is better imo

    D.... T....

    @Mandy Watt Yep, if you like your music to be as boring and dumbed down as possible.

  30. C.... F....

    interesting video ? Love the songs music........

  31. T.... K....

    I like how Missy Higgins has done this song, it gives the song a different side and meaning from her interpretation

  32. N.... K....

    A completely bizarre and inappropriate interpretation of an otherwise very good song. What are the ripped naked men about for f**k's sake? It's a song about being eviscerated by fish!

    N.... K....

    No it's about depression.

  33. c.... ....

    Good on her for having good taste and a nice voice but i don't think anyone could ever out do the original

  34. a.... ....

    "Shark Fin Blues" is such a gorgeous, evocative song (Catchy title, too).What a fantastic video. I love all the tenderness and longing portrayed by the dancers and actors. Watching the imagery and hearing Higgins' pretty voice really gave me goosebumps! She is one talented young woman.

    a.... ....

    +aimspader the original song by the drones is seething with emotion and very raw.. missy higgins cover is a nice interpretation but the original is more haunting i feel :)

  35. C.... O....

    Exquisite and beautiful, so poignant and touching Thanks Missy x

  36. M.... ....

    what a beautiful and artful video!

  37. A.... F....

    suspect she wanted to do it, liddiard had to rip it from his soul. kind of like primary school kids doing a Husker Du cover.

    A.... F....

    +Aaron Ferrington Why can't both be good?

    A.... F....

    never assume. it makes an ass of u & me

    A.... F....

    Nice cover 👍

  38. L.... M....

    Really average cover.

  39. s.... g....

    the first time I hard this Sony I got my mum and brother up at like 4:55 In the morning to watch the first ep of sires 8 of doctor who😇💩


  40. M.... M....

    Why praise this and not the original? She's probably a good artist but she's not even nearly expressing the same dejection as Garreth Liddiard does. Ugh I really despise covers.

    M.... M....

    +Matildax Matilda I always loved the original. It's very raw and powerful. I love this version too. It's softer, but there's still a lot of emotion in it.

    M.... M....

    If you hate covers, why are you here?
    Why would anyone, liking one singer, go to another singer's post to praise them?

  41. s.... s....

    Perfeito!

  42. K.... F....

    I like this more and more each time I see it.

  43. J.... M....

    Thia is Pop garbage;-(
    Drones rock! !

  44. Z.... O....

    Seriously one of the if not the best song I've ever heard. A total masterpiece.

  45. J.... C....

    Gorgeous melody:)

  46. I.... C....

    Brilliant song, great cover.

  47. B.... ....

    this is absolutely beautiful - it left me in tears

  48. A.... M....

    I had no idea that Missy Higgins singing a Gareth Lidiard song would work so well.
    More goose bumps than normal..

  49. G.... G....

    Perfection...

  50. a.... ....

    very pretty, nice treatment of the song from a different perspective. I can see how hearing the original or this one first would shape ones view of the song drastically, having heard The Drones first I miss the raw passion it was sung and played with. Extra points of singing, writing, and playing it.

  51. J.... P....

    stunning , beautiful . now lets see a clip for "Was there anything i could do " How fantastic to hear and see my fave Go betweens track and Missy omg !!!

  52. S.... N....

    So amazing Missy Higgins voice is so powerful but delicate and it makes you feel weightless or weighted down as her voice can make you feel the song.. So much love from Canberra Australia)

  53. E.... K....

    This was my favourite from the Lismore show last Wednesday night.   Missy does it so much better than the original.  

  54. S.... W....

    This has got to be one of my favorites! So haunting. Truly Spectacular!

  55. S.... M....

    This is what you call MUSIC.

  56. t.... ....

    Wooo-hooo, this baby's out TODAY!! Come on OZ.

    t.... ....

    It was even worth listening through three hours of dross on ABC News Breakfast yesterday morning to see and hear Missy singing with her ukelele.

  57. l.... n....

    I just love this and prefer it to the original (sorry Drones) well done Missy. 

    l.... n....

    leavemy namealone that was my point too .Someone commented that the drones was better with their original of this song than missy .So obviously had to check it because to Br honest I've never heard the drones original before .it was only here on u-tube someone commented it was their song .And as I said I wasn't that impressed by them with it I think missy interpretation was much superior.

  58. g.... ....

    Just beautiful Missy!

  59. m.... ....

    God, this version gives the song a whole new meaning to me. Love it.

  60. Z.... ....

    Beautiful cover of a quintessential Aussie song

  61. A.... N....

    I'd like to know what Gareth thinks of this cover, not much I'd reckon.

    A.... N....

    Too busy counting his royalties from Missy's cover of his masterpiece, and dealing with requests for Drones' comeback concerts.

    A.... N....

    @wattlesong definitely fund a few cartons of VB... but what a flaccid penis of a cover. 

  62. A.... R....

    Que hermoso vídeo, que hermosa canción! I´m so glad that Missy is back =)

  63. 1.... ....

    nup, cant feel it. Sounds too manufactured and clean. Maybe a lot less production would make it better but it lacks the sadness, rawness and pain that the original has. Maybe it's just the vocals are too perfect, but it's just not there for me

    1.... ....

    @plasterdbastard Ok buddy, obviously you need blueprints to understand. Missy Higgins is a good artist, but she has a problem of making everything sound synthesised in her songs. In that I mean that the natural timbre of the instruments is cleaned out to be replaced by a sound which sounds like someone pressing the play button on a computer program. This is generally done by 'over producing' in which every bit of the sound is taken apart and the natural sounds feedback of the instrument taken away (the stuff which splits live performances to studio performances). The Drones are a band which take full advantage of these natural sounds as it suits their genres. I know that Missy doesn't intend to have that loud, abrasive sound, but that doesn't excuse her from taking the natural sounds away. But where I compared it to the original was the place where both intentions are the same. Or was Missy not intending to make the song sound sad or express pain? You seem to know her that well that you could probably make a comment on that. To sum it all up, you are right, it is my opinion. And no it is not insulated as that doesn't even make sense. Actually insulated would be the correct word to describe her performance of the song.

    1.... ....

    @13dirty666
    Actually, no, I don't need blueprints, what I'm looking for is a specific reference to a timestamp where you think that it distinctly sounds "over produced" (That term is the most laughable term in music, because it has no actual tangible definition). I realise that you will almost certainly say that the entire song sounds overproduced, but I'm looking for a specific point where it is distinctly "over produced". If you are referring to the cleanliness of the recording, that's more often the result of the recording software and hardware itself.
    At this point, to me, you sound like a 16 year old angsty punk rocker that accuses any successful band of being sellouts, or a hipster kid that wants to glorify the analog life over digitial. I understand your critique, but from what I've gathered you're really arguing live music versus studio albums.
    So, to summarise, I'm aware that your critique is that she post processed her music to make it more pleasing and The Drones didn't. My criticism of your critique is that you are comparing apples and oranges and then saying that you're actually comparing the emotion of each song - which is reflected in the fact that Missy used post processing most likely, and, even though it's almost entirely certain that The Drones did as well, the original is considered, by you, not to have. Ergo, because The Drones make organic oranges, they are better than Missy's apple.

    I honestly don't mean for this to be an ill intentioned argument. I just don't understand why people have to shit on artists because they do covers, and then pretend that they are really being critical of the sound itself.

    If it sounds good, it doesn't matter what it is.
    Here's a scathing critique of software from an acoustic engineer that kind of demonstrates that the software is a minor role in the making of good tracks:
    http://www.audio-issues.com/keeping-track/why-the-fucking-software-doesnt-matter/

    Food for thought.

    1.... ....

    @plasterdbastard well you are way wrong on your critique of my taste is music and who I am. You are trying to make this an ill intentioned argument as it's quite obvious what I meant. I know about software/mastering/recording etc. and have had professional training so I do know what I am talking about. If you don't like what I have said, turn around and make your own critique. It is not my problem that you don't understand what I am saying. If you want to be so pretentious go elsewhere, because right here, right now, you just sound like a 14 year old girl pushing a bunch of big words together because someone doesn't like a song by their favourite artist

    1.... ....

    @plasterdbastard now go on your way now and live your life, because you are wasting it trying to argue with a random on the internet about a critique that you disagree with and are upset about it because you disagree

    1.... ....

    I really wish I had not read your comment...now I can hear it...no drag of the bow. The real tearing of the heart you get with strings is missing. Still like this version though. I just think now it could have been so much better. Sigh.

  64. J.... E....

    More brilliant, moving music from Missy!! 

  65. w.... ....

    Holy sh*t. I had no clue how anyone could even touch upon the original. This song's supposed to make it hard to breathe. 

  66. n.... ....

    No mention of The Drones anywhere. Really?

    n.... ....

    It's in the book, and liner notes of CD/LP.
    We know these are all covers. Missy's performances will bring new fans (and royalties) to the original composers.

    n.... ....

    This entire album is a Covers Album. She mentions this in the book, and on the CD so I think it was meant to be implied.

    n.... ....

    The Drones brought me here.

    n.... ....

    ∆∆∆

  67. m.... ....

    Great cover!

  68. B.... F....

    christ are you aware that this isn't her song its a cover of a Drones song

  69. i.... ....

    I hate that some mindless song can have millions of views just because the singer is naked in the video, but a beautifully put together song and video like this only has 12,000. Fuck society and mainstream media.   

  70. M.... M....

    beautiful. absolutely beautiful. I cannot wait for more.

  71. E.... ....

    This is absolutely breathtaking, Missy. I cannot wait for Enmore. Chills!

  72. L.... L....

    Words cannot explain how beautiful this song is! Missy is a rare talent indeed <3

    L.... L....

    I'm late, but this definitely isn't Missy's song

  73. S.... C....

    Such a beautiful song and music video <3

  74. A.... N....

    Amazing song. Missy has fans even in Zimbabwe

  75. P.... I....

    shivers from the string section and song

  76. G.... R....

    Meu Deus do céu... Maravilhosa!!!

  77. N.... E....

    I like violin's part

  78. G.... ....

    I wasn waiting for you Missy and your beautiful music! Love from Japan!

  79. j.... ....

    An excellent cover. Missy should collaborate with the Drones at some point her and Gareth Liddiard voices together would be magic.

  80. T.... R....

    i'm not crying.
    nope. 
    nope nope.
    someone get me tissues

  81. c.... ....

    xcellent vid xcellent 

  82. P.... G....

    love it - love you!

  83. M.... R....

    So much love for you, Missy!  You've no idea.  Saw you live in concert in Townsville back in 2008 (I think it was 2008 - maybe earlier).  Will never forget - one of the best concerts ever (and that includes rivalry with Jethro Tull, My Chemical Romance and Iron Maiden!).  I'm a full on absolute die hard metal head - but somehow you transcend my normal taste in music and go straight to my soul.  Thanks heaps for being Aussie, thanks monstrous heaps for being you.  Fan forever - Mark.

  84. b.... ....

    Transcend the barriers, and embrace the Love that speaks to you.
    Thank you Missy x

  85. 2.... ....

    well said by all
    totally agree

  86. c.... ....

    The Arts come together, the orchestration, choreography, visual poetry, and love across ages and genders--and Missy in her Jim Jams. Just beautiful.

    Is this film video a Natasha Pincus production.?

    c.... ....

    Not Natasha Pincus, A Collider.

  87. n.... ....

    Missy doesn't just sing, she creates beautiful music that sweeps you away into another place. Hauntingly wondrous song.

  88. A.... O....

    That was really different!! Loved it though. Can't wait to see you live in October!

  89. K.... K....

    HOLY CRAP THIS WAS FILMED AT MY COLLEGE 

  90. B.... L....

    welcome back missy!

  91. P.... B....

    AMAZING!!  LOVE IT! 

  92. K.... R....

    LOVE LOVE LOVE Missy & the piano....

  93. _.... U....

    I love her music !!!!!!!!!

  94. A.... M....

    Really like this sound. Never tire of Missy's voice.

  95. R.... B....

    Missy is back! (well, she never left, as far as I am concerned).
    Different and unique, a change from the past but a blessing to
    The Future Missy.. 

    Very good... very very much so :)

    R.... B....

    This is a cover of The Drones...

  96. J.... D....

    Beautiful, so beautiful!