Lyr Add: Life of a Voyageur/Voyager

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Life of a Voyager
From: GUEST,campkid
Date: 18 May 07 - 06:03 PM

I learned this song at a girl scout camp in california. I know my mom also knew the song from her camp days at a girl scout camp in Wisconsin in the early 70s.

Subject: ADD Version: Life of a Voyageur
From: GUEST,Marissa
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 03:34 PM

LIFE OF A VOYAGEUR

The life of a voyageur
That of a soldiener
Travels around and 'round,
But not from town to town.
Paddles the lakes and streams,
Follows her distant dreams.
Peace on the waterways,
Blue skies no cloudy days.

My heart has but one home,
From which I'll never rome
Land of true happiness,
Canadian wilderness.

The Cry of the lonely Loon,
Coyotes howling at the moon.
Wind rustling through the trees,
That's the Canadian breeze.
Smoke rising from the fire,
Up to the trees in a stateling spire.
Reaches the moon in an evening glow.
Sun goes down, no North winds blow.

My heart has but one home,
From which I'll never rome.
Land of true happiness,
Canadian wilderness.

The Life of a Voyageur,
That of a soldiener.
Tired and warily,
Searching unendingly.
Searching for peace of mind,
While moves the hands of time.
Moving unceasingly holding the secret key.
Keys to her distant dreams,
Dreams that may often seem
Hopeless and gone awrong,
But she'll keep moving on.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Life of a Voyager
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 03:22 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Life of a Voyager
From: GUEST,Annie
Date: 28 Oct 04 - 12:22 AM

I also went to Mantio-Wish and learned this song 2 years ago. It's still oone of my favorites. My friend went to French camp through Concordia and learned it in French.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Life of a Voyager
From: GUEST,Zephyr
Date: 23 Aug 04 - 03:46 PM

at the camp I go to(in Vermont)this song is taught through a 3 year progression ending in an 11 day canoe trip to canada. it has five verses, but the chorus changes each time. I dont know the words, though.

Subject: RE: Life of a Voyager
From: GUEST,guest, Jenny
Date: 04 Aug 04 - 11:24 AM

Like John, I went to Manito-wish and learned the song there in late 80s. I particularly like the "indian" beat that is inherent when you sing the lines. The one change since that time seems to be in the middle verse:

The call of the lonely loon
coyotes howling at the moon
Wind rustling through the trees
that's the Canadian breeze
Smoke rising from the fire
up through the trees with a stately spire
Reach toward the sky in the evening glow
Sun goes down, no north winds blow

All else same. I'm curious about the lost verses. I think we should raid the camp songbook collection in Boulder Junction....
Jenny

Subject: ADD: Life of a Voyageur
From: GUEST,LongJohn
Date: 22 Aug 03 - 03:25 PM

Hi all -

I'm an off and on lurker here, but I finally may have something to contribute.

I learned this song in the mid-'70's at Camp Manito-Wish in northern Wisconsin. It was written by a woman affiliated with that camp, and I believe it must have dispersed from there.

It's a beautiful song and well received whenever I sing it.

Quoting from: "Songs of the Northland, Manito-Wish Song Book."

"... written in 1960 by Mary Satterfield Swanson. On the first of many trips back to the Quetico, Mary brought along her baritone ukulele, which she fondly named Sarah after her adventures on Sarah Lake as a camper in 1959. It was on Sarah Lake that the words and music to 'The Life of a Voyageur' came to her. Mary brought the song to camp with her that summer and taught it to her cabin and later to the entire camp community."

"Roger Perry wrote a third verse in 1971 that is still sung today."

Unfortunately, the editors of this book accidentally omitted the 2nd and 3rd verses, but here's the first verse and chorus as written and the other 2 verses from my notes.

THE LIFE OF A VOYAGEUR

VERSE: The life of a voyageur
That of a sojourner
Traveling around and 'round
But not from town to town
Paddles the lakes and streams
Follows his distant dreams
Peace on the water ways
Clear skies, no cloudy days

CHORUS: My heart has but one home
From which I'll never roam
Land of true happiness
Canadian wilderness

The call of the lonely loon
Coyotes howling at the moon
Wind rustling through the trees
That's the Canadian breeze
Smoke rising from the fire
Up through the leaves of the stately spires
Down to the hearth in an evening glow
Sun goes down no north winds blow

The still waters of the morn
Reflect one lonely soul
Paddling so silently
That none's disturbed by he
Untouched by human flesh
Water so pure and fresh
His life is rough but good
This is his chosen home

Twice, now, I've heard this song in other contexts and each time it was sung with a different 3rd verse - not the one by Roger Perry. That's what got me to thinking and doing some digging. Some 'net searching turned up several versions of the first 2 verses - more-or-less the same as I learned. A couple versions, including the one at the top of the thread, include alternate 3rd and 4th verses. So far, I have found 6 verses in addition to the "original" three. All but one of the references I found are from or suggest a link to a summer camp.

I find it interesting that this song evidently found its way into the folk tradition, but that it must have happened between 1960 and 1971, because the Roger Perry verse is not included. Makes me wonder if there are others around with no connection to the original source who know the Perry verse.

- John

Subject: RE: Life of a Voyager
From: Sorcha
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 02:12 PM

I found it several places on line, sometimes titled Canadian Wilderness. If it is Service, it's not at the Service site. I doubt that it is. No attribution anywhere, though.

Subject: RE: Life of a Voyager
From:
Date: 29 Jan 02 - 01:44 AM

Hi, might you have an author for "life of a voyager"? A friend of mine atributed it to Robert Service, and I don't buy that.I learned it at Widji of the St.Paul,Mn YMCA. What camp did you learn it at? thanks bbl

Subject: Lyr Add: LIFE OF A VOYAGER
From: Laurel
Date: 22 Apr 99 - 06:59 PM

Hi!
I just stumbled along this song- it's great!! I learned it at camp and recently found it in my three song books I've compiled over the years.

LIFE OF A VOYAGER

-chorus-
The life of a voyager that of a sojourner
travelin' around and round, but not from town to town
travelin' the lakes and streams, follows his distant dreams
peace on the waterways, clear skies and cloudy days...
my heart has but one home, from which I'll never roam;
Land of true happiness, Canadian Wilderness.
_____________
The call of the lonely loon, coyotes howlin' at the moon;
wind rustling through the trees, that's the Canadian breeze;
smoke rising from the fire, up to the trees going higher and higher.
reach to the sky in the evening glow, sun goes down no northwinds blow.
-chorus-

The mist from the distant falls, distant hooting of the owls,
fire crackling through the night, rising fog at dawn's first light.
Fall, when leaves come tumbling down, winter's blanket covers the ground.
Zephyrs whispering through the pines, voyager's heritage, this is mine.
-chorus-

The life of a voyager, that of a sojourner,
clear as a northern stream, key to his distant dream
Someday he'll find it there, place where he'll lose all care
Loons cry and the winds blow free, he'll find his liberty.



Silant'
Laurel