Interesting Facts about The Gumtree Canoe
“The Gumtree Canoe” – Stan Hugill have this song from old shipmate, Paddy Griffiths, a seamen well versed in the old songs and shanties. Paddy Griffiths says to Stan Hugill, that in his yuth he had often sung this ditty at the capstan in the “Hill” Line of wind-jammers. Stan Hugill claims that song is obviously based on a “Negro” song, and in his book is first time in print as a shanty. Griffiths not remember more verses, so we have what we have.
I will reconstruct this song as a capstan shanty.
The source of this sea shanty
The music: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 473).
The lyrics: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 473).
The Record of The Gumtree Canoe
You also can find this record on my YouTube channel here or directly listen below. Additionally, if you want to share your opinion about the record or share your opinion you can do it in my Facebook forum here, or leave a comment at the bottom of this blog article.
The musical notation
The full lyrics
The Gumtree Canoe
Oh, on Tom Big Bee River so bright I was born,
In a hut made of husks from the tall yaller corn,
An’ twas there that I met with me Julia so true,
An’ I sailed her a-‘way in me Gumtree Canoe.
– Then away-ay-ay, ay-yah!
– Cross the waters so blue,
– We’re bound to the south’ and in me Gumtree Canoe!
– Then away-ay-ay, ay-yah!
– Cross the waters so blue,
– We’re bound to the south’ and in me Gumtree Canoe!
* 2 *
All day in the fields of soft cotton I hoe,
An’ I think of me Julia an’ sing as I go,
Oh, I cotched her a fish with a fin o’ deep blue,
An’ at night sail around in me Gumtree Canoe.
* 3 *
Now we’re bound away to the south’ard we go,
An’ soon I’ll be back in them fields I love so,
With a shipmate so fair, an’ a shipmate so true,
An’ we’ll haul on the bowline in me Gumtree Canoe.