{"id":6690,"date":"2021-02-22T09:02:26","date_gmt":"2021-02-22T09:02:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=6690"},"modified":"2021-09-21T18:19:03","modified_gmt":"2021-09-21T18:19:03","slug":"as-you-paddle-your-boat-along","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/as-you-paddle-your-boat-along\/","title":{"rendered":"As you paddle your boat along"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>Paddle your boat along<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>c1876<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>Harry Linn<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RNV20357<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Harry Linn, Fred Coyne, Minnie Cunningham<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>None?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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From Harry Linn's Fire-Side Song Book (1880)<\/strong>\n\nThe world we live in is just like the sea, travellers over its waters are we; \nLet us be happy where ever we be, if the wind blows steady and strong:\nIt's no use to grumble, to growl, or complain, we can't stop the wind and we can't stop the rain \nAfter the start we have sunshine again; so paddle your boat along. \n\nAlways try to be happy and gay, let this world jog along as it may; \nAlways do right and never do wrong, as you paddle your boat along. <\/em>\n\nWe meet some people who always seem glad, others who always looked solemn and sad; \nThey want all the good, if they share in the bad they think it decidedly wrong. \nThere's good things enough in this world for us all, but we must be content with a share of the small; \nThough little our lot, some have nothing at all; so paddle your boat along. \n\nDon't be downhearted though breakers may roar, or if your boat be cast on the shore; \nYou are bound to get into smooth water once more, if you pull both steady and strong. \nDon't go to slowly nor yet go too fast, always make way for a friend to get past, \nAnd the harbour in safety you'll reach it at last, so paddle your boat along.\n<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A song  by Harry Linn<\/a> which draws heavily on two very successful songs of Harry Clifton<\/a>: Pulling hard against the stream<\/a><\/em>, published in 1867 and Paddle your own canoe<\/a><\/em>, published in 1866. Unlike Clifton’s songs, this one does not seem to have entered the oral tradition. It’s included here for the sake of clarity: it is often confused with Paddle your own canoe<\/em> – if you compare the two the words are very different\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Initially, Linn sold the rights to the song to Fred Coyne, and the two of them tried to prevent other performers from using the song. This is one of a number of adverts they took out to establish their ownership:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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 Sept. 24, 1876,  <\/strong>The Era <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The song seems to have been revived by Minnie Cunningham (1872-1954) in the late 1890s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n