Paddle Your Own Canoe

DESCRIPTION: "I've traveled about a bit in my time And of troubles I've seen a few, But I found it better in every clime To paddle my own canoe." The singer advises loving one's neighbor, not being downhearted, and remaining as independent as possible
AUTHOR: Probably Harry Clifton
EARLIEST DATE: before 1867 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 11(2905))
KEYWORDS: nonballad work
FOUND IN: Britain(Scotland(Aber)) US(SE) Ireland
REFERENCES (5 citations):
Greig/Duncan3 663, "Paddle Your Own Canoe" (1 text)
Brown/Belden/Hudson-FrankCBrownCollectionNCFolklore3 55, "Paddle Your Own Canoe" (1 text)
OCroinin/Cronin-TheSongsOfElizabethCronin 116, "Paddle Your Own Canoe" (1 text)
Heart-Songs, pp. 286-287, "Paddle Your Own Canoe" (1 text, 1 tune)
Dime-Song-Book #16, p. 41, "Paddle Your Own Canoe" (1 text)
Roud #6093
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 11(2905), "Paddle Your Own Canoe" ("I've travelled about a bit, in my time"), J. Harkness (Preston), 1840-1866; also Harding B 26(492), Harding B 18(580), Firth b.34(222), "Paddle Your Own Canoe"
LOCSinging, sb30426b, "Paddle Your Own Canoe," H. De Marsan (New York), 1864-1878
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Captain Bill Ryan Left Terry Behind" (tune)
SAME TUNE:
The Night Pat Murphy Died (by Johnny Burke) (Johnny Burke (William J. Kirwin, editor), _John White's Collection of Johnny Burke Songs_, Harry Cuff Publications, St. John's, 1981, #78, p. 119)
Peter Joy (by James Murphy?) ("Whenever you need a 'roast' or steak... Go call on Peter Joy") (James Murphy, editor, _Songs Sung by Old-TIme Sealers of Many Years Ago_, James Murphy Publishing, 1925 (PDF available from Memorial University of Newfoundland web site))
NOTES [146 words]: Greig/Duncan3: "Cf. Paddle Your Own Canoe written and sung by Harry Clifton (Hopwood and Crew, London, c. 1890)" -- but note earlier broadsides. - BS
For background on Harry Clifton (1824-1872), see the notes to "The Good Ship Kangaroo." Although the broadsides probably predate the first official publication of this song, Clifton's authorship seems likely. Heart-Songs lists "M Hobson" as being responsible for the tune.
Dime-Song-Book #6 has a song "I'll Paddle My Own Canoe." I'd consider them separate. The "Paddle Your Own Canoe" in Dime-Song-Book #16, also looks rather different, and surely rewritten, but probably from the same roots, so I've listed it here. - RBW
Broadside LOCSinging sb30426b: H. De Marsan dating per Studying Nineteenth-Century Popular Song by Paul Charosh in American Music, Winter 1997, Vol 15.4, Table 1, available at FindArticles site. - BS
Last updated in version 6.6
File: Be3055

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