Gumtree Canoe lyrics

[H. Hunter]

Hello folks,
I recently heard the late John Hartford's version of Gumtree Canoe and
really like it, especially the banjo parts. Would anybody out there be so
kind as to share a copy of the lyrics and the chord progression. Chords
should be simple enough in 3/4 time as far as I can figure but I just want
to compare notes.

Thanks in advance,
Hugh

[Erik Newman]

Post by H. Hunter
Hello folks,
I recently heard the late John Hartford's version of Gumtree Canoe and
really like it, especially the banjo parts. Would anybody out there be so
kind as to share a copy of the lyrics and the chord progression. Chords
should be simple enough in 3/4 time as far as I can figure but I just want
to compare notes.

Here's what I've got for the chords. I wrote it down in G, but it would
be pretty simple to transpose. The lyrics are as best as I can
remember. You also might swap in a D7 in place of the D.

Verse:
G C G
On the Tom Bigbee (sp?) river, so bright I was born
D
in a hut made of husks of the tall yellow corn.
G C G
'Twas there I first spied my sweet Julia so true
D G
And at night sailed around in my gum tree canoe.

Chorus:
G C
Singin' row we will over the water so blue.
D G
Like a feather we'll float in our gum tree canoe.
C
Singin' row we will over the water so blue.
D G
Like a feather we'll float in out gum tree canoe.

All day in the fields, the soft cotton I hoe
I think of my Julia and sing as I go.
I caught her a bird with a wing of true blue
and and night sail around in our gum tree canoe.

With a hand on the banjo and a toe on the oar
I sing to the sound of the river's soft roar.
The stars they shine down on my Julie so true
and they dance in her eyes in our gum tree canoe.

One day the ol' river took us so far away
that we couldn't get back so I thought we'd just stay.
I found us a ship with a sail of true blue
and it took us in tow in our gum tree canoe.

[JohnB58972]

Erik got close from memory - the song is in the past tense so all the "I"s are
"'I'd"s and the "we"s are "we'd"s etc.
The Tombigbee river runs thru Mississippi and Alabama and into Mobile Bay.
Verse 1 line4: and i rode her around in my gum tree canoe
Chorus line 1: Singin' roll away roll o'er the waters so blue
A few othe minor differences that aren't important

Incidently, John plays the song in open E with his banjo 3 steps down from G.
He did that a lot and he usually played a banjo without a metal tonering. You
can still get a Deering with a wooden ring. I have one and it sounds just like
his recordings.

[H. Hunter]

John, I saw that your message refers to Eric and some lyrics. However, for
some reason I don't see Eric's reply on the list. Can you copy it and
forward it for me please.

Hugh

Thanks for the info, folks. I will try the open E tuning someday soon.
The fact that John played a banjo with a wooden tone ring has a particular
appeal for me - the banjos I build all have wooden tone rings and sound

very

similar to John's axe. I have attached a small audio file for you to

check

out.
Cheers,
Hugh

Post by JohnB58972
Erik got close from memory - the song is in the past tense so all the

"I"s

are

Post by JohnB58972
"'I'd"s and the "we"s are "we'd"s etc.
The Tombigbee river runs thru Mississippi and Alabama and into Mobile Bay.
Verse 1 line4: and i rode her around in my gum tree canoe
Chorus line 1: Singin' roll away roll o'er the waters so blue
A few othe minor differences that aren't important
Incidently, John plays the song in open E with his banjo 3 steps down

from

G.

Post by JohnB58972
He did that a lot and he usually played a banjo without a metal

tonering.

You

Post by JohnB58972
can still get a Deering with a wooden ring. I have one and it sounds

just

like

Post by JohnB58972
his recordings.

[JohnB58972]

The lyrics John Hartford sings:
G(E) C(A) G(E)
On the Tombigbee river so bright I was born
D(B)
In a hut made of husks of the tall yellow corn
G(E) C(A) G(E)
And there I first spied my Julia so true
D(B)
And I rode her about in my gum tree canoe

G(E) C(A)
Singing roll away roll o'er the water so blue
D(B) G(E)
Like a feather we'll float in our gum tree canoe
C(A)
Singing roll away roll o'er the water so blue
D(B) G(E)
Like a feather we'll float in our gum tree canoe

All day in the fields the soft cotton I'd hoe
And I'd think of my Julia and sing as I'd go
Then I'd catch her a bird with a wing of true blue
And at night sail around in my gum tree canoe

With my hands on the banjo and a toe on the oar
I'd sing to the sounds of the river's soft roar
While the stars they looked down on my Julia so true
And dance in her eyes in our gum tree canoe

One day the stream bore us so far away
That we couldn't come back so we thought we'd just stay
Then I spied a tall ship with a flag of true blue
And it took us in tow in our gum tree canoe

[Paulsv]

Post by JohnB58972
And I rode her about in my gum tree canoe

I think he might have been saying he "rowed her" in his gum-tree canoe.
Although I suppose he could have rode her as well.

Paul Vander Woude
Chicago, IL

Born to Tinker
Forced to Work

[JohnB58972]

Paul
You could be right on both accounts, although down here in the south we
frequently ride people around in our vehicles.

[picker]

Loading Image...

An excellent choice i must say.

Nic.

Post by H. Hunter
Hello folks,
I recently heard the late John Hartford's version of Gumtree Canoe and
really like it, especially the banjo parts. Would anybody out there be so
kind as to share a copy of the lyrics and the chord progression. Chords
should be simple enough in 3/4 time as far as I can figure but I just want
to compare notes.
Thanks in advance,
Hugh

[mhofer]

"The Gum Tree Canoe" (1847)
[or, Tom-Big-Bee River]
Words by Silas Sexton Steele
Music by Anthony F. Winnemore

[Source: ***@LoC "new edition" in 1885
published by S. Brainard's Sons; originally
published in 1847 by Henry Tolman & Co.;
also page 208 from "Minstrel Songs, Old and New" (1883)]

1.
On Tombigbee river so bright I was born,
In a hut made ob husks od de tall yaller corn,
An' dar I fust meet wid my Jula so true,
An I row'd her about in my Gum Tree Canoe.

CHORUS 2 times
Singing row away, row,
O're de waters so blue,
Like a feather we'll float,
In my Gum Tree Canoe.

2.
All de day in de field de soft cotton I hoe,
I tink ob my Jula an' sing as I go,
Oh I catch her a bird, wid a wing ob true blue,
An at night sail her round in my Gum Tree Canoe.

(CHORUS 2 times)

3.
Wid my hands on de banjo and toe on de oar,
I sing to de sound ob de river's soft roar;
While de stars dey look down at my Jula so true,
And dance in her eye in my Gum Tree Canoe.

(CHORUS 2 times)

4.
One night de stream bore us so far away,
Dat we couldn't come back, so we thought we'd jis stay;
Oh we spied a tall ship wid a flag ob true blue,
An it took us in tow wid my Gum Tree Canoe.

(CHORUS 2 times)

Post by H. Hunter
Hello folks,
I recently heard the late John Hartford's version of Gumtree Canoe and
really like it, especially the banjo parts. Would anybody out there be so
kind as to share a copy of the lyrics and the chord progression. Chords
should be simple enough in 3/4 time as far as I can figure but I just want
to compare notes.
Thanks in advance,
Hugh