ADD: The Boatman's Cure (George Ward)

Subject: Lyr Req: The Boatman's Cure
From: GUEST,Dave R
Date: 09 Mar 13 - 06:11 AM

Looking for the lyrics to the above song, believe wrote by George Ward and recorded by John Roberts on his CD 'Sea Fever'. Any help please.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BOATMAN'S CURE (George Ward)
From: RTim
Date: 09 Mar 13 - 08:00 AM

From John's Webpage on Golden Hind.
- Tim Radford

THE BOATMAN'S CURE
My friend and neighbor George Ward wrote The Boatman's Cure, based on research he did on the history of the "bateau," the vessel used along the Mohawk River for exploration and trade in the 18th century.


Poling up the river in a three-hand boat,
Too deep to carry, too shallow to float,
Too deep to carry, too shallow to float.
    If it doesn't lift your spirits it'll leave you numb
    Best cure for the river is a bottle of rum,
    Best cure for the river is a bottle of rum.

Listen to the forwarder struttin' on the quay,
He's quick to tell the boatman how the river will be.
    Best cure for the forwarder

Workin' up the rift the current swung her round,
Bedbugs swum ashore, poor boatman nearly got drowned.
    Best cure for bedbugs

Sweatin' in the heat of day, chillin' in the rain,
Sleepin' in the open got the ague again.
    Best cure for the ague

Frostbite in November took my toes away,
Devil take the blackfly 'bout the last week in May.
    Best cure for the blackfly

Sweet Annie from Schenectady, she stole my heart,
Her face is in the firelight, the river sings her part.
    Best cure for a woman

Got a callus on my shoulder and my hands are sore,
Sweetest sight some thirsty frontier girl ever saw.
    Best cure for wisdom...

I fought all through this wilderness in '59
Still fancy I see shadows moving most of the time.
    Best cure for shadows...

Morning comes up early for a fast bateau,
Shoulder to the setting pole, you push off and go.
    But there ain't no cure for living in a bottle of rum.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd-qYSWcdkM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boatman's Cure
From: GUEST,Dave R
Date: 09 Mar 13 - 08:12 AM

Thanks RTim.

Subject: The Boatman's Cure
From: GUEST,Jon Bartlett
Date: 30 Aug 24 - 04:39 AM

The Boatman's Cure

This should surely be in the DT. Laura Bassett sings it locally (i.e. Seattle) but I've heard John Roberts sing it too. Who is the friend of the author George Ward, tho?

'My friend and neighbor George Ward wrote The Boatman's Cure, based on research he did on the history of the "bateau," the vessel used along the Mohawk River for exploration and trade in the 18th century.'

Poling up the river in a three-hand boat,
Too deep to carry, too shallow to float,
Too deep to carry, too shallow to float.   

If it doesn't lift your spirits it'll leave you numb   
Best cure for the river is a bottle of rum,   
Best cure for the river is a bottle of rum.

Listen to the forwarder struttin' on the quay,
He's quick to tell the boatman how the river will be.   
…Best cure for the forwarder…

Workin' up the rift the current swung her round,
Bedbugs swum ashore, poor boatman nearly got drowned.   
…Best cure for bedbugs…

Sweatin' in the heat of day, chillin' in the rain,
Sleepin' in the open got the ague again.   
…Best cure for the ague…

Frostbite in November took my toes away,
Devil take the blackfly 'bout the last week in May.   
…Best cure for the blackfly…

Sweet Annie from Schenectady, she stole my heart,
Her face is in the firelight, the river sings her part.   
…Best cure for a woman…

Got a callus on my shoulder and my hands are sore,
Sweetest sight some thirsty frontier girl ever saw.   
…Best cure for wisdom…

I fought all through this wilderness in '59
Still fancy I see shadows moving most of the time.   
…Best cure for shadows…

Morning comes up early for a fast bateau,
Shoulder to the setting pole, you push off and go.   
…But there ain't no cure for living in a bottle of rum.

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: The Boatman's Cure
From: cnd
Date: 30 Aug 24 - 10:06 AM

Your hunch was correct: though not on the DT, it was posted just over a decade ago: https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=149855 (threads combined)

RTim sourced his information from http://www.goldenhindmusic.com/lyrics/BOATMANS.html.

In this case, the friend appears to be John Ward (RTim mentions it is "John's website; and by the logic that his album Sea Fever is the only one on the site with the song.)

Subject: RE: The Boatman's Cure
From: Jeri
Date: 30 Aug 24 - 01:03 PM

Yes: George Ward wrote it.

Subject: RE: ADD: The Boatman's Cure (George Ward)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 30 Aug 24 - 05:52 PM

And the "Friend and Neighbor" is probably John Roberts.

Subject: RE: ADD: The Boatman's Cure (George Ward)
From: Reinhard
Date: 31 Aug 24 - 12:51 AM

Of course - the quote is from John Roberts's CD Sea Fever.

The Boatman's Cure was also recorded by Paul Downes in 2013 as the title track of his WildGoose album The Boatman’s Cure. He noted:

"A song from George Ward of New York State. It is a testament of an expedition to the higher reaches of the Mohawk River in 1792. It was an endeavour that eventually led to the opening of the Erie Canal. The hard life of a boatman poling the «bateaux» through the weeds, like a punt, was ameliorated by vast amounts of alcohol. Thanks to Joe Stead for bringing back John Roberts’ recording from the US and to the rest of Kimber’s Men for not wanting to do it, allowing me to be the first person to sing it in the UK—probably!"

Subject: RE: ADD: The Boatman's Cure (George Ward)
From: Jeri
Date: 31 Aug 24 - 10:44 AM

"Friend and Neighbor" was George Ward, just like RTim's post said.
(Happy belated birthday, George!) George is a member of Mudcat, but he probably isn't currently active here.