Great Big Sea Hove in Long Beach, Bonavista
A great big sea hove in Long Beach, and Granny Snooks she lost her speech.
— Lyrics, Great Big Sea Hove in Long Beach
It’s not everyday the happenings in Lisbon, Portugal can silence Bonavista’s Granny Snooks but that’s just what happened in 1755.
On November 1, 1755 an earthquake struck Lisbon, Portugal. It was devastating. Thousands died and there was tremendous destruction, virtually levelling the city.
The earthquake, which occurred under the ocean floor, southwest of Portugal, caused a tsunami which spread outward through the Atlantic. Eventually the tsunami reached England, Brazil and Newfoundland.
Sunset, Bonavista Harbour
The ocean rose and came far ashore at Long Beach in Bonavista.
The following is an account, written by Phillip Toque in 1846:
“I have been informed by several respectable individuals that at the time of the great earthquake at Lisbon, in 1775, the effects were felt at Bonavista. The sea retired, and left the bed of the harbour dry for the space of ten minutes, when it again flowed in and rose to an unusual height, overflowing several meadows for about the same space of time as it had retired, and the waters on each side of the cape were greatly agitated.
This statement is not at all improbable, when we consider that the effects of the tremendous earthquake of Lisbon were felt all over Portugal, throughout Europe, in the North of Africa, and even in the West Indies, and upon the continent
of America.”
It has been asserted that this tsunami, and its impact on Long Beach, is the inspiration for the Newfoundland folk song ’Great Big Sea Hove in Long Beach.’
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(aka Gone By The Board)
A great big sea hove in Long Beach,
Right fal-or-al taddle diddle I-do;
A great big sea hove in Long Beach,
And Granny Snooks she lost her speech.
To me right fol-didy fol-dee.
A great big sea hove in the harbour,
Right fal-or-al taddle diddle I-do;
A great big sea hove in the harbour,
And hove right up to Keough's parlour.
To me right fol-didy fol-dee.
Oh, mother dear, I wants a sack,
Right fal-or-al taddle diddle I-do;
Oh, mother dear, I wants a sack,
With beads and buttons down the back.
To me right fol-didy fol-dee.
Me boot is broke, me frock is tore,
Right fal-or-al taddle diddle I-do;
But Georgie Snooks I do adore.
To me right fol-didy fol-dee.
Oh, fish is low and flour is high,
Right fal-or-al taddle diddle I-do;
Oh, fish is low and flour is high,
So Georgie Snooks he can't have I.
To me right fol-didy fol-dee.
But he will have me in the fall,
Right fal-or-al taddle diddle I-do;
If he don't I'll hoist my sail,
And say goodbye to old Canaille.
To me right fol-didy fol-dee.
Is this fact? Well, maybe? Circumstantially, there is a reasonable case — in 1755 there was a great big sea hove in Long Beach, Bonavista and the song is about a ‘sea hove’ in Long Beach.
But if 409 seasons of CSI have taught us anything, it’s that circumstantial evidence is not proof. The Lisbon earthquake is a good, sensible origin story for the song but there are alternate explanations.
For the moment, I’m running with the Lisbon earthquake version of events. The Discovery Geopark does as well, so I’m in good company.
Gone By The Board (Great Big Sea Hove in Long Beach)
What is less debatable is that the song Great Big Sea Hove in Long Beach inspired the name of folk rock group Great Big Sea. Band member Alan Doyle discusses the process of settling on the name in his book Where I Belong.
So, in a roundabout way, a 250 year-old disaster in Portugal has influenced Canadian culture for generations, first through a folk song, then a rock band.
That’s kinda cool.
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1755 Lisbon Earthquake, Wikipedia
Oddities from Our History, Book of Newfoundland, Vol. 1
Lisbon Earthquake, Discovery GeoPark
Where I Belong, Alan Doyle, 2015
