G'day again Dug (and Joe Offer ... since this changes a few things I accepted above!),
I should not rely on what I laughingly call my memory! Warren's actual book: Eureka The Songs That Made Australia, Omnibus Press, Sydney, 1984 is actually quite polychromatic!
As well, the version Warren collected ... the one universally (and incorrectly) attributed above ... and in the DigiTrad ... as that collected by the Billabong band (ultimately from Freddie Bolton, St Arnaud, Victoria) is actually collected from Jim Cargill, Randwick, New South Wales - in 1973.
This has the words (from Eureka The Songs That Made Australia):
THE GUM-TREE CANOE
On a thorn bonny river, in a hut I was born,
Built of thorns and wild yellow corn,
Its there, I first met with Julia, so true,
And we went for a row in the gum-tree canoe.
CHORUS: We will row, yes, we'll row over the waters so blue
Like a feather I'm afloat in my gum-tree canoe.
With my thumb on the banjo, my toe on the oar,
I'll sing to my Julia, I'll sing as I row
And the stars shone down on Julia, so true,
On the night we rowed out in my Gum-tree canoe.
'Twas for three solid days we sailed out in the bay,
We could not get back, we were forced to stay.
Then we spied a large ship, flying the flag of true blue,
And she took us in tow, in my gum-tree canoe.
I once left the river, and went on the land
To set myself up as a cocky, so grand,
But the life didn't suit me, it made my heart sore,
So, back to the bonny river, boys, and Julia once more.
and the tune - there is ABC at the end!):
Click to play
ABC format:
X:1
T:
M:3/4
Q:1/4=128
K:C
D5G|B4GA|G^F3DD|E2G3A|G6|G4Bd|d4d2|e2dB3|
A4G2|G2B2d2|d4d2|e2d2B2|A4d3/2c/2|B4AB|GE3D2|
E2G3A|G4GA|d4GB|d4dd|e2d2B2|A4GA|Bd3BA|GE3D2|
E2G3A|G13/4||
Now!: The Freddie Bolton words are really:
A Gum Tree Canoe
I'll sing you a ditty, a sweet little song,
It will just take a moment, it won't keep you long,
I will sing of the days when our love was so new,
And we sailed down the Murray River, boys, in a gum tree canoe.
CHORUS: We rowed, we rowed, o'er the water so blue,
Like a feather we would float along, in a gum tree canoe,
My hand on my banjo, my toe on my oar,
I work all the day and I sing as I go,
And at night-time I turn to my Julia so true,
And we sail down the Murray River, boys, in a gum tree canoe.
Given to Frank Nickels 1957 by Mrs. J. Wilson, formerly of St. Arnaud, Vic.
and the tune (completely different) is:
Click to play
ABC format:
X:1
T:
M:3/4
Q:1/4=128
K:C
B6|D2D3E|D2D3E|D2G2A2|B4BB|A2A2A2|A2G2A2|
B2G2E2|E4GE|D2D3E|D2D3E|D2G2A2|B4GB|d2dedB|
AGE4|-E4^FE|D2B3A|G4B2|d4B2|d4BB|B2A2G2|A4GB|
d2dedB|AGE4|E4^FE|D2B3A|G19/4||
OK:
Apologies to Warren (that really is a different (Australian) version - although clearly drawing on the American original)
Sorry Joe: All the attributions in DT are wrong! (Well ... sort of).
I hope this all makes sense .. wil get back if needed!
Regards,
Bob Bolton