Lyr Req: Row Row Row Your Boat (parodies)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Row Row Row Your Boat (parodies)
From: LadyJean
Date: 19 Aug 11 - 12:27 AM

We sang, "Row row row your boat, gently dow n the stream. Throw your teacher overboard and listen to her scream."

King Friday XIII sang "Propel your craft" on Mister Rogers Neighborhood.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Row Row Row Your Boat (parodies)
From: GUEST,Goldengirl
Date: 18 Aug 11 - 06:20 PM

My father used to sing this song:
I lost my love on one of the Thousand Islands
But, unfortunately I can't remember which
So I go hollering Florence
Up the river St Lawrence
Oh Florence, where can you be?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Row Row Row Your Boat (parodies)
From: GUEST,Neil A. Anderson
Date: 22 Jun 11 - 06:29 PM

Pull, pull the stops,
Play on all the pipes!
Verrily, verrily, verrily, verrily,
Silence all my gripes!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Row Row Row Your Boat (parodies)
From: GUEST,Neil A. Anderson
Date: 22 Jun 11 - 06:27 PM

Start, start, start the car,
Chugga, chugga, chug.
Twist the key and start your engine,
in a Bentley or a Bug!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Row Row Row Your Boat (parodies)
From: Floksnog
Date: 07 Apr 11 - 05:51 PM

During my deprived (not really!) childhood we where submitted to greasy margarine rather than lovely butter, it being considered 'healthier' at the time - hence I used to end this rhyme not -

Life is butter dream

but

Life is margarine

My wife dose about five versions of this with my daughter involving different animals and sorts of water course, including the crocodile/stream/scream one above. The only one I can remember now involves a Polar Bear, a river and not forgetting to shiver (BRRRRRR!!)

Sorry - done of that was to do with the original post!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Row Row Row Your Boat (parodies)
From: GUEST,Marri
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 07:37 PM

Thank you! This is one of those songs that pops into my head anytime I hear the name Lawrence or Florance but I could only remember two lines of it. Now I can sing the whole song! I'm sure my family will want to thank you, too.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: GUEST,GJP
Date: 06 Feb 11 - 10:03 AM

Wow! I've looked for these lyrics for years. Thanx!

Subject: Lyr Add: THOUSAND ISLANDS SONG (Arthur Godfrey)
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 13 Jul 10 - 08:17 PM

I finally found the old 78 recording in the attic above the garage. A good friend had a 78 turntable and recorded it for me in mp3 format.
If anyone is still interested:
(Words in brackets were sung by others)

THE THOUSAND ISLAND SONG
As sung by Arthur Godfrey

Row, row, row your boat, up the river St. Lawrence,
Hollering, hollering, hollering, hollering, hollering for Florence.
I left the one I love on one of the Thousand Islands. (Row, row, row your boat.)
But unfortunately I can't remember which one.
So I row, row, row, row up the river St. Lawrence,
And I'm hollering Florence. Oh, where can you be?
(Where, oh, where, where, oh, where can she be?)
I wouldn't be so lost up here on the Thousand Islands. (Row, row, row your boat.)
If we only had met down on the Isle of Capri.
Now I just can't find the place you marked on the post card.
Call the Navy and Coast Guard.
Oh, where, where can you be? (Where, oh, where, where, oh, where can she be?)
Mustn't take a nap. Gotta watch the map.
That was Island 793,
Row from shore to shore. Knock on every door.
How many Thousand Islands can there be?
I better find you soon 'cause I see a thousand row boats (Row, row your boat.)
And the fellers inside look mighty lonesome to me.
When they row, row, row, row up the River St. Lawrence,
They're all hollering "Florence, oh, where can you be?"
(Row, row, row your boat up the River St. Lawrence
Hollering, hollering, hollering, hollering, hollering for Florence)
I better find you soon 'cause I see a thousand row boats (Row, row, row your boat.)
And the fellers inside look mighty lonesome to me.
When they row, row, row, row up the River St. Lawrence,
They're all hollering "Florence, oh, where can you be?" (Row, row, row your boat.)
Hey Florence, (Row, row your boat.)
Hey Flowie, you're harder to find than Chloe!

Cap't Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 07:22 AM

Bow, bow, bow your note
Gently down the string,
Wearily, wearily, wearily, wearily,
I can't play this thing

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: DoctorJug
Date: 06 Nov 06 - 04:48 AM

After the Zeebrugge disaster, when a roll-on roll-off (RO-RO)ferry went down, Private Eye printed something like this:

RO-RO-RO your boat
Swiftly under water
Ferrily ferrily ferrily ferry
The firm gets off manslaughter.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: Azizi
Date: 05 Nov 06 - 05:07 PM

Here's two contemporary kid's versions of "Row Row Row Your Boat" that were sent to my website www.cocojams.com


"We used to sing this one in Milwaukee, WI in the late 70's:
Row, row, row your boat Gently down the stream Throw your teacher overboard and listen to her scream. 5 days later, floatin' down the Delaware Chewin' on her underwear Can't afford another pair"
-Kelly 5/23/2006

****

"Row Row Row ur boat gently down the stream throw ur teacher overboard just to make her scream. 5 days later she is chewing on her under wear wishing she had another pair. 10 days later she is eating by a polar bear. That is what made the polar bear die. E haw! I think that is so funny. We sing that when go on field trips."
-Anonymous; 10/25/2006

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Row, Row, Row Your Boat parodies
From: autolycus
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 07:01 PM

Foolestroupe

Thanks. Still finding my way round.
A.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Row, Row, Row Your Boat parodies
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 06:07 PM

autolycus

try the 'origin' thread near the top of the page.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Row, Row, Row Your Boat parodies
From: EBarnacle
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 05:53 PM

When in my dear wasted yout', I learned the version that Dave the Guest presents as:

Propel, Propel, Propel your craft
Rapidly down the liquid solution;
Ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically
Existence is but an illusion.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Row, Row, Row Your Boat parodies
From: autolycus
Date: 16 Jan 06 - 05:01 PM

What I mean is,is there a composer for the original Row, row, row your boat, or is it a folksong, or ......?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Row, Row, Row Your Boat parodies
From: autolycus
Date: 15 Jan 06 - 07:43 PM

I've recently wanted to know the origin of the original. Does anyone know?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Row, Row, Row Your Boat parodies
From: GUEST,Jules
Date: 15 Jan 06 - 07:14 PM

Row row row your boat
Gently down the river
If you see a polar bear
Dont forget to shiver

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 05:16 PM

Bob Gibson recorded a great version of this song and got the audience to sing it as a round. Then he "added" some non-traditional verse---I think they may have been writen by Shel Silverstein. The all centered around environmental polution. Very funny stuff.
"Row, row, row your boat
Gently through the muck.
Merrily, merrily, merrily,
And I don't give a --- darn!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: open mike
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 01:13 PM

as for the reversing of the song
i just realized that my computer's
built in sound recorder has a "reverse" feature
what was that beatle's song that
was suppose to contain some secret message
when played backwards? I am the Walrus??
KOo KOo Ka Joob!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: LindsayInWales
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 08:04 AM

Row row row your boat
Genrly down the stream
Petticoats up and trousers down
Isn't life a scream


Row row row your boat
Oars are in the rowlocks
Merrily merriloy merrily merrily
Life's a load of bowlocks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: masato sakurai
Date: 22 Apr 04 - 08:00 AM

One note differs in the original sheet music titled "Row Your Boat" in The Franklin Square Song Collection, No. 1 (1881, p. 69).

X:1
T:Row Your Boat
M:6/8
L:1/8
C:E.O. Lyte
B:The Franklin Square Song Collection, No.1 (1881, p. 69)
K:D
D3 D3|D2 E F3|F2 F F2 G|A3-A3|
w:Row, row, row your boat, Gent-ly down the stream;
d d d A A A|F F F D D D|A2 G F2 E|D3-D3|]
w:Mer-ri-ly, mer-ri-ly, mer-ri-ly, mer-ri-ly; Life is but a dream.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: Cluin
Date: 18 Apr 03 - 03:54 AM

The frustrated songwriter muppet on Sesame Street years ago:

Drive, Drive, Drive your car,
Gently down the street...

No! No! No1 I'l NEVER get it right!

*crashes forehead down on the piano keys*

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: GUEST,terilu
Date: 18 Apr 03 - 02:40 AM

and the anti-exercise one:
row row row the boat
on the work-out floor
exercising on machines
is such a dreadful bore

and

mow mow mow the lawn
keep it clipped too short
fill the air with noxious fumes
and treat it like a sport

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: GUEST,Ayatolla
Date: 17 Apr 03 - 10:01 AM

A none aquatic version:

               Roll, roll, roll a joint,
               Twist it at the end,
               Light it up and have a drag
               And pass it to a friend.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 17 Apr 03 - 05:18 AM

Sharp eyes, Nigel! Sharper than my fingers--I typed it wrong.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 07:42 AM

Mark: unfortunately you've been taught the wrong first line, it should be:
"Dream a but is life"

CHEERS
Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 16 Apr 03 - 04:10 AM

Flip Breskin of Bellingham, Washington taught me to sing it backwards:

Dream is but a life
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Stream the down gently
Boat your row, row, row

You sing the melody backwards, too. That is, each syllable has the same pitch as it does in the original song, although the meter follows the words. (On the last line, for example, "Boat your" is a dotted eighth-sixteenth on the fourth beat of the measure, and "row, row, row" are four quarter notes on the first 3 beats, ending with a quarter rest. Get it?)

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: TIA
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 09:34 PM

Fun with Babelfish...here's the German (sort of):

Reihe, Reihe, rudern Ihr Boot
leicht hinunter den Strom.
Merrily merrily merrily merrily
Leben ist aber ein Traum.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: TIA
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 09:30 PM

Here's some fun. Sing the original over and over, but each time, leave off the last word from the time before. The ending always gets a big laugh (you'll have to try it). Can't drive more than 40 minutes without the kids requesting that one.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: running.hare
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 08:06 PM

Kookaburra sits on the railway track
along comes a train and squashes him flat

Kookaburra sits on the 'lectric wire

Jumping up & down with his pants on fire

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: running.hare
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 07:30 PM

"Rock, rock, rock, your boat
Gently to the shore
If you see a lion there
Don't forget to Roar
Raaargh!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 09:09 AM

Or the highbrow one.

Propell, propell, propell your craft
Placidly down the liquid solution.
Happily, happily, happily,
Existence is but a delusion.

   Dave

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: GUEST,Raggytash
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 07:36 AM

Row row row your boat
gently down a stream
ha ha fooled ya
I'm a submarine

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: Little Robyn
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 07:25 AM

Or the kids version -
Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream,
Push the teacher overboard and
Listen to her scream!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat parodies
From: The Walrus
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 06:02 AM

I'm surprised nobody has quoted the version from "Blackadder Goes Forth":

"Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream,
Belt off, trousers down
Isn't life a scream,"

Walrus

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: Padre
Date: 15 Apr 03 - 12:30 AM

I learned the Latin as:

Duc, duc, remus duc,
Flumine secundo
Viviter, viviter, viviter, viviter
Omnes est somnino

Padre

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: Joe_F
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 07:37 PM

It is, of course, a round -- and may be sung simultaneously with at least two other rounds, "Frere Jacques" and "Three Blind Mice". Thirteen-part harmony!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: Vixen
Date: 14 Apr 03 - 09:05 AM

Then there's Latin...

Barcam remiga
Lente in aqua
Hilare Hilare Hilare Hilare
Somne est vita

Which isn't a literal translation, of course, but close!

V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 04:19 PM

The original lyrics are:
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream.
Jim McLean

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 13 Apr 03 - 03:34 PM

One recently heard playground rhyme from my (15y.o.) daughter:
"Row Row Row your boat
Gently down the stream
If you see a crocodile
Don't forget to scream
Aaaargh!"

Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Feb 02 - 12:00 AM

I listened to the audio clip which Nutty provided the link to above, and transcribed this much. Unfortunately, it didn't help me find the lyrics on the 'Net.

THE THOUSAND ISLANDS SONG
Lyric by Carl Sigman
Music by Bob Hilliard
From "Angel In The Wings"
(c) 1947 (Renewed) Edwin H. Morris & Company

I left the one I love on one of the Thousand Islands
But unfortunately I can't remember which one.
So I row, row, row, row up the River St. Lawrence
And I'm hollering, "Florence,
Oh where can you be?"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: open mike
Date: 19 Feb 02 - 09:13 PM

I thought of the "big words" version: of the round-- propel, propel, propel your craft placidly down the liquid solution, with alacrity, with alacrity, with alacrity, existance is but an illusion....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 14 Feb 02 - 10:08 AM

Then there's Walt Kelly's Pogo song:

Row, row, Rover both
Gently Don Extreme
Marilyn, Marilyn, Marilyn, Marilyn
Lie fudge Esther theme!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 08 Feb 02 - 06:11 PM

There's a CD in print right now called "Best of Arthur Godfrey: The Old Redhead" Collectors' Choice Music #177. Here are the contents, according to the All Music Guide:

1. Too Fat Polka (I Don't Want Her, You Can... (MacLeah/Richardson) - 3:01
2. A Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid (Johnson/Razat) - 2:51
3. Slap 'Er Down Again, Pau (Arnold/Asherman/Cornett) - 2:57
4. The Thousand Islands Love Song (Oh... (Hillard/Sigman) - 2:44
5. California Is Wonderful (If You're a... (David/Hoffman/Livingston) - 2:52
6. I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover (Dixon/Woods) - 2:47
7. All Right, Louie, Drop the Gun (Carter/Johnson) - 3:08
8. Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep (Cahn/Spielman) - 3:21
9. Gone Fishin' (Kenny/Kenny) - 2:31
10. C'est Tout (That's All) (Dorsey/Elmer/Geva-Ayers) - 3:00
11. The Thing (Grean) - 2:26
12. I Like the Wide Open Spaces (Foster/Murray/Wick) - 2:38
13. Love Is the Reason (Fields/Schwartz) - 2:52
14. Slow Poke (King/Price/Stewart) - 2:36
15. Dance Me Loose (Erwin/Howard) - 2:48
16. Exactly Like You (Fields/McHugh) - 1:55
17. (We Grow) Too Soon Old-Und Too Late Shmart (Drake/Shirt) - 2:25
18. The Humour Is on Me Now (Hayward) - 2:01
19. Sidewalks of New York (Balke/Lawlor) - 2:31
20. Seventy-Six Trombones (Wilson) - 2:36
21. Pale Potomac Moon (Godfrey) - 2:26
22. Young at Heart (Leigh/Richards) - 2:15

A few of these are fairly familiar and several more have intriguing titles.

By the way, as much as I admire AMG for being a source of wonderful information like this, I must admit that some things I see there are totally bogus. F'rinstance, it classifies the above album as "Rock." Then under the heading "Similar/Related Albums" it lists Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, and Tracy Chapman!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 07 Feb 02 - 05:31 PM

Itersting. Don't hear many people doing Arhur Godfrey's stuff now a days. Hope you find the rest Cap't Bob, Neil

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 07 Feb 02 - 01:39 PM

Thanks nutty, if I keep getting a piece here and a piece there maybe I'll be able to hook it all together. That is a nice clip, it's too bad they didn't finish the song.

Cap't Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: nutty
Date: 07 Feb 02 - 06:50 AM

Short snatch of lyrics and great audio clip here.......

THOUSAND ISLANDS SONG

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 06 Feb 02 - 10:46 PM

I finally found the correct title for the song. It goes by the name: "The Thousand Islands Song" (Oh Florence) I also found a short audio clip that goes: ...if we had only met down on the Isle of Capri
Now I just can't find the place you marked on the post card, call the Navy and Coast Guard, where oh where can you be.
I must not take a nap, gotta watch the map, that was island 793, row from shore to shore, knock on every door....

Cap't Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 06 Feb 02 - 09:17 PM

Thanks Amos, right after I clicked the SUBMIT button I realized that I probably should have worded the request a bit differently. The Monkey and the Owl sounds like that could be a rather interesting song. I'm going to an open mic session this Friday evening armed only with a ukulele. Wish me luck.

Cap't Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: Metchosin
Date: 06 Feb 02 - 09:17 PM

Me too Amos, and the only one I remember is.....I warm so easy so....Dance Me Loose.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: row row row your boat
From: Amos
Date: 06 Feb 02 - 09:09 PM

Gee, Bob, for a minute I thought this was thesuper troll of all time!! I'm sorry, but the only Godfrey song I remember is the Monkey and the Owl: "Since you're so very kind sir, I'll have a glass of ink!".

A

Subject: row row row your boat
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 06 Feb 02 - 08:55 PM

I would like to locate the lyrics to a song Arthur Godfrey did back in the 50's. About the only line I remember goes: "Row, row, row your boat, up the River St. Lawrence. Hollering, hollering, hollering, hollering for Fluorence". Anyone remember this one?

Cap't Bob