Here is another song that I first heard on Ian White's 'Songs from a Busker's Bag'. He noted that he got it 'from Joy Durst in the days of the Victorian Bush Music Club'. It is an Australian version of a song that was first published in 'Plantation Melodies' in 1847. The song was part of the American blackface minstrel tradition. The book noted: 'Words by S.S. Steele, Esq. as sung by A.F. Winnemore and his band of Virginia Serenaders; Arranged for the Piano Forte by A. F. Winnemore'. GUM TREE CANOE I’ll sing you a ditty, a sweet little song It will just take a moment, it won’t keep you long I’ll sing of the days when our love was so new And we sailed down the Murray River, boys, in a gum tree canoe Chorus; We rowed o’er the waters so blue Like a feather we would float along In our gum tree canoe My hand on my banjo, my toe in my oar I work all the day and I sing as I go And at night time I turn to my Julia so true And we sail down the Murry River, boys, in a gum tree canoe I once left the river and went on the land To set myself up as a cocky so grand But the life didn’t suit me, it made my heart sore I went back to the Murray River, boys, and my Julia once more Ian's rendition was a beaut duet with Cathie O'Sullivan, but that is not available on the Net. However, you can hear it from Chloe and Jason Roweth here - it starts around 2 min mark. Youtube clip Original lyrics and a recording here: Click The singer who is best associated with the song these days: John Hartford --Stewie.
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