{"id":2144,"date":"2020-04-18T12:19:29","date_gmt":"2020-04-18T12:19:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=2144"},"modified":"2024-04-17T14:34:33","modified_gmt":"2024-04-17T14:34:33","slug":"paddle-your-own-canoe","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/paddle-your-own-canoe\/","title":{"rendered":"Paddle your own canoe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
First Published<\/strong><\/td>1866<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lyrics<\/strong><\/td>Harry Clifton<\/td>Music<\/strong><\/td>Charles Coote Jnr arr. Hobson<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN6093<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Music Hall performers<\/strong><\/td>Harry Clifton, Fred French<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
Bond, Alice Mary; England : Cambridgeshire : 1890s
Carter, Mrs. Bettie P; USA : Virginia : 1931
Crighton, Miss Lizzie; Scotland; no date
Cronin, Elizabeth; Ireland : Co. Cork : No date
Green, Charles; England : Yorkshire : 1971
Kincaid, Bradley; USA : Kentucky ; no date
Lane, W.G. USA : Virginia : Altavista 1931
Smith, Miss Duo K; USA : N. Carolina ; No date
Unknown singer ; USA : Iowa; 1930c
Unknown singer; England : Wiltshire ; 1922c

Modern Performances:<\/strong>
Skyland Scotty & Lulu Belle Wiseman, The Chieftains, The Wolfe Tones<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
From Hopwood and Crew sheet music (personal copy):\n\nPADDLE YOUR OWN CANOE\nWitten and Sung by Hary Clifton, Arranged by M Hobson\n(QUEEN OF THE HARVEST VALSE by kind permission of Charles Coote Jnr)\n\nI've travelled about a bit in my time\nAnd of troubles I've seen a few\nI found it better in every clime\nTo paddle my own canoe\nMy wants are small, I care not at all\nIf my debts are paid when due\nI drive away life in the ocean of life\nWhile I paddle my own canoe.\n\nThen love your neighbour as yourself\nAs the world you go travelling through\nAnd never sit down with a tear or a frown\nBut paddle your own canoe.<\/em>\n\nI have no wife to bother my life\nNo lover to prove untrue\nBut the whole day long with a laugh and a song\nI paddle my own canoe\nI rise with the lark and from daylight till dark\nI do what I have to do\nI'm careless of wealth if I've only my health\nTo paddle my own canoe.\n\nIt's all very well to depend on a friend\nThat is if you've proved him true\nBut you'll find it better by far in the end\nTo paddle your own canoe\nTo borrow is dearer by far than to buy\nA maxim tho' old still true\nYou never will sigh if you only will try\nTo paddle your own canoe.\n\nIf a hurricane rise in the midday skies\nAnd the Sun is lost to view\nMove steadily by, with a steadfast eye\nAnd paddle your own canoe\nThe daisies that grow in the bright green fields\nAre blooming so sweet for you\nSo never sit down with a tear or a frown\nBut paddle your own canoe.\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
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Another of Harry Clifton’s motto songs that has passed into the repertoire of traditional singers on both sides of the Atlantic. For example it was collected in the early 20th century from an un-named singer by Alfred Williams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like many of Clifton’s songs, it was also sung in the halls by Fred French<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
A song particularly well-known in Irish traditional music circles, with versions both by The Chieftains and The Wolfe Tones.  These versions were almost certainly derived from the singing of Elizabeth Cronin.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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There are other very similar 19th century songs which sometimes get confused with this one: <\/p>\n\n\n\n