Go to main content

Thanks to the Rolling Sea

Rating:
3.2 / 5

Words & Music: Ruth Batchelor Bob Roberts

Thanks to the rolling, rolling, rolling, thanks to the rolling sea
Thanks to the rolling, rolling, rolling, thanks to the rolling sea
Fish on the table and fish on the fire, fried fish hanging on the tree
Everything here that your heart desires, thanks to the rolling sea
Thanks to the rolling sea

Living is good and living is fine, we're happy as can be
We owe all this to the salty brine, thanks to the rolling sea
Thanks to the rolling sea

We work all day but our hearts are gay, and while we work we sing
The mighty sea is good to us and we've got everything
Abalone steaks and tuna fish cakes, taste so heavenly
We know who we owe it to, thanks to the rolling sea
Thanks to the rolling, rolling, rolling, thanks to the rolling sea
Thanks to the rolling, rolling, rolling, thanks to the rolling sea
Thanks to the rolling, rolling, rolling, thanks to the rolling sea
Thanks to the rolling, rolling, rolling, thanks to the rolling sea

Recordingdate: 1962/03/26, first released on: Girls! Girls! Girls! (album)

Musicians

Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Thanks to the Rolling Sea:

(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(drums)
(drums)
(piano)
(organ)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(clarinet)
(sax)

Availability

Find available albums with Thanks to the Rolling Sea.

Steve V wrote on March 31, 2009
Not much for movie songs, but this one is enjoyable and yes it actually makes sense in the context of the movie.
Deano1 wrote on February 25, 2010
A strictly situational tune from the movie "Girls! Girls! Girls!" that works well in the movie, but is less enjoyable on record. It isn't bad on record, but it doesn't deserve more than 2 1/2 stars as a stand alone song.
luciano77 wrote on May 18, 2010
an okay song not more not less
Monster wrote on May 18, 2010
A song I never took much notice of until I heard the acapella version which is quite interesting. But in the end it's still just an ok movie song. Not return to sender by any means, but not Confidence either.
dgirl wrote on May 18, 2010
Best thing I can say about it is, this song makes me hungry.
old shep wrote on May 18, 2010
A good movie song which fitted in well, which showed that the writers did adhere to the script in them days.
shoesuedeblues wrote on May 18, 2010
"We work all day but our hearts are gay" A line that could only come from an Elvis movie song. Definately not a Grammy award winner but it slots in very well.
Deke Rivers 6 wrote on May 18, 2010
Works well in the film,& the film was very good.I watch it from time to time. Who was the famous singer at the side of the stage watching Elvis ?
theoldscudder wrote on May 18, 2010
Smells like dead fish.
NONE000000 wrote on May 18, 2010
It works for what it is. It sounds like a work-song. It is a shame they never attempted a multiple vocal overdub using only Elvis' voice. If you've ever heard Prince's "For You" (or even "When Doves Cry") or Sting's version of "Gabriel's Message" you know what I mean. Only Elvis' voice doing ALL the harmony parts acapella. That would not make much sense for the scene in the movie, but it is a shame nothing like that was ever attempted. Elvis loved to harmonize (as a lot of those home recording show) and had a great vocal range. If he'd had some more innovative people in the studio, it's amazing what could have come out.
Bestoftherest8301 wrote on April 26, 2012
'Fried fish hanging on the tree?' err... what is the point of frying fish and hanging it on a tree? I think his should be 'Dried fish hanging on a tree'. If you tried hanging Fried fish from a tree, I'm pretty sure it would fall off. I'm not going to spin this track to try and listen to what Elvis sings, but can anyone tell me if 'Fried fish' is correct? If so I'm bewildered by the lyrics!
Gorse wrote on February 13, 2013
Perfect for the film but loses impact on record, however it does have certain charm for me.
GEORGE (GK) wrote on February 13, 2013
This song, works well, in the movie, more so, than on the soundtrack album. But the soundtracks were meant to be audio snapshots from the movie. If you liked a particular movie scene, that featured the song, you might enjoy the song, even more so. However some of the stronger songs, worked well, with or without the visual context of the film, such as "Can't Help Falling in Love" (from "Blue Hawaii") and others.
ElvisSacramento wrote on February 14, 2013
I've always enjoyed this fun movie song, but the song does work much better in the movie than it does on the record.
sugartummy wrote on May 18, 2013
I know I'm not supposed to react to someone else's comment, but the famous artist by the side off the stage was Jackie Wilson watching Elvis doing Return to sender. And I really hear Elvis sing "Fried fish hangin' on the tree". Oh yes, Elvis hated fish. Priscilla only could eat fish when Elvis was away. A nice song, well sung.
Cruiser621 wrote on May 19, 2013
Crap in, crap out. The lyrics are ridiculous; other than that, a damn fine soundtrack "Girls! Girls! Girls!"
shawnrw wrote on January 02, 2014
Way too short, but powerfully sung. Cannot really call it a great song but strangely compelling.
TheMemphisFan wrote on April 12, 2014
I like the song, and the correct lyrics are -- "Dry fish hangin' on the tree" Drying is a method of food preservation that works by removing water from the food, which inhibits the growth of microorganisms. Open air drying using sun and wind has been practiced since ancient times to preserve food. Fish are preserved through such traditional methods as drying, smoking and salting. The oldest traditional way of preserving fish was to let the wind and sun dry it. Drying food is the world's oldest known preservation method, and dried fish has a storage life of several years. The method is cheap and effective in suitable climates; the work can be done by the fisherman and family, and the resulting product is easily transported to market.
atomic powered poste wrote on April 04, 2018
Unusual, but that doesn't makes it great automatically. A mediocre song from an album with a few highlights but a few lows also. 2 stars.
JerryNodak wrote on June 15, 2020
Yes, it's a situational song. As most of the songs in the '60's movies were. It works well in the movie, but I also enjoy it when listening to it outside of it's movie context. 3 stars.
bajo wrote on June 15, 2020
There's something about the soundtrack albums that strikes me today, at this age! If only there could have been made some complete takes of songs. No matter if edited to fit the movie, but the soundtrack albums should have had complete songs, hopefully running a tad longer. I kind of like the Girls! Girls! Girls! soundtrack album. He was in such a great voice! The song is fine!
Milky White Way wrote on July 18, 2022
Never skip it, sounds pleasant and different to my ears as does many a movie song that Elvis doesn’t sing about love. 3 stars
Back to List