GUM-TREE CANOE
Words by S. S. Steele; Music by A. F. Winnemore 1847
Banjo Tuned E, Key D Capo 1 ¾ Time
Gum Tree Canoe
D G D
Chorus: x 2 Singing row away, row, o'er the waters so blue,
A D
Like a feather we sail in our gum-tree canoe.
D G D
On Tombigbee River so bright I was born,
G
In a hut made of husks of the tall yellow
D
corn
G D
And there I first met with my Julia so true
A D
And I rowed her about in our gum-tree canoe.
All the day in the field the soft cotton I hoe,
I think of my Julia and sing as I go,
Oh, I catch her a bird with a wing of true blue,
And at night sail her round in our gum-tree canoe.
With my hands on the banjo and toe on the oar,
I sing to the sound of the river's soft roar,
While the stars they look down at my Julia so true
And dance in her eye in our gum-tree canoe.
One night the stream bore us so far away
That we couldn't come back so we thought we'd just stay,
Oh, we spied a tall ship with a flag of true blue,
And it took us in tow with our gum-tree canoe.
