Our Paddle's Keen and Bright

DESCRIPTION: "Our paddle's keen and bright, flashing like silver Swift as the wild goose flies, dip, dip, and swing Dip, dip, and swing them back, flashing like silver Swift as the wild goose flies....." To be repeated with voices getting louder and softer
AUTHOR: Margaret Bradshaw McGee (1889-1975) (source: Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs)
EARLIEST DATE: 1938 (Zander/Klusmann-CampSongsPopularEdition)
KEYWORDS: nonballad campsong
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (8 citations):
Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs, p. 415, 417, 445, 447, 470, 491, 515, "Our Paddle's Keen and Bright"/"My Paddle's Keen and Bright" (notes only)
Zander/Klusmann-CampSongsNThings, p. 62, "The Paddle Song" (1 short text, 1 tune)
Zander/Klusmann-CampSongsPopularEdition, p. 18, "Paddle Song" (1 short text)
ChansonsDeNotreChalet, p. 15, "Canoe Song" (1 text, 1 tune)
BoyScoutSongbook1997, p. 28, "Paddle Song" (1 text, 1 tune)
SongsOfManyNations, "Canoe Song" (1 text, 1 tune) (CC edition, p. 37) (12th edition, p. 28)
48MuchLovedFolkSongs, p. 15, "Canoe Song" (1 text, 1 tune)
33MuchLovedSongs, p. 8, "Canoe Song" (1 text, 1 tune)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Our Paddles Keen and Bright
My Paddle's Keen and Bright
NOTES [60 words]: The tune for this is peculiar, although suitable for a round: The entire melody is built around a minor chord, and the only notes used are the tonic, the (minor) third, the fourth (rarely), and the fifth, even though the range of the song covers an octave and a fourth. I'm surprised that a tune that is both difficult and monotonous has become so popular. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.3
File: ACSF415O

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