John Hartford, "Gum Tree Canoe"

On the Tom Big Bee River so bright I was born

In a hut made of husks of the tall yellow corn

It was there that I first met my Julah so true

And I rowed her around in the gum tree canoe

Sing row away row o’er the waters so blue

Like a feather we’ll float in my gum tree canoe

Sing row away row o’er the waters so blue

Like a feather we’ll float in my gum tree canoe

All day in the fields of soft cotton I’d hoe

And think of my Julah and sing as I go

I’d catch her a bird with a wing of true blue

And at night row her around in the gum tree canoe

Sing row away row o’er the waters so blue

Like a feather we’ll float in my gum tree canoe

Sing row away row o’er the waters so blue

Like a feather we’ll float in my gum tree canoe

With my hand on my banjo and my toe on the oar

I would sing her a song to the river’s soft roar

While the bright stars shone down on my Julah so true

And they danced in her eyes in the gum tree canoe

Sing row away row o’er the waters so blue

Like a feather we’ll float in my gum tree canoe

Sing row away row o’er the waters so blue

Like a feather we’ll float in my gum tree canoe

One day the old river took us so far away

That we couldn’t get back so we thought we’d just stay

We spied a tall ship with a flag of true blue
And she took us in tow in the gum tree canoe