The Mermaid and Great Big Sea

With my earlier post on Mermaid Music and $2 Off Today Only, I feel prompted to write more about The Hard and the Easy by Great Big Sea one of my favorites of their albums and that it was released long after I had become a fan. I love when that happens.

The Hard and the Easy features twelve traditional Newfoundland tracks since the band hails from there. Well, The Mermaid track isn't so traditional. It is actually based on a poem by Shel Silverstein (yes, that Shel Silverstein) for Playboy Magazine back in 1966. The song is more like a somewhat naughty bar song and that is why Great Big Sea covered it since they enjoy those and this qualifies as one of the most suggestive they've recorded. And, no, it wouldn't qualify as very naughty despite its publishing history.

You can read the lyrics here. Here's a video of a live concert performance:



That said, I enjoy this song but it isn't even one of my favorites on the album. There's not a song on it that I don't like, actually. My favorites are Captain Kidd and The River Driver and Come And I Will Sing You (The Twelve Apostles) and Concerning Charlie Horse and Tickle Cove Pond. But you can get two songs free with the code today or get $2 off the entire collection. If you like upbeat folkmusic with a slight modern twist, this may charm you.