SONG: The Badger Drive
Fred Bulger
Here's a folk song learned from Stan Rogers 'For the Family' album. I'm afraid
I don't know the song's origin; regardless, it's a fun one ....
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The Badger Drive
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As Performed by Stan Rogers
C F C
There's one class of men in this country
Am G
that never is mentioned in song.
C F C
But now that their trade is advancing
G (Am) G
They'll come out on top before long.
G C
They say that our sailors have danger
F C
and likewise our warriors bold.
F C
But there's none know the life of a driver
G C
but he suffers through hardship and cold.
Chorus:
~~~~~~
C F C
With their pike poles and peaveys and bateau's and all
G
They're sure to drive out in the spring that's the time
C F C
With the caulks on their boots as they get on the logs
G C
An' it hard to get over their time.
Bill Dorothy, he is their manager
And he's a good man at the trade
And when he's around seeking drivers
He's like a train going down grade.
But still he's a man that's kind hearted
On his word you always depend
And there's never a man that works with him
But likes to go with him again.
Chorus
I tell you today home in London
The times is read by each man
But little they think of the fellows
That drove the wood on Maryanne.
For paper is made out of pulpwood
And many things more you may know
And long may our men live to drive it
Upon Paymoch and Tomjoe.
Chorus
The drive it is just an old badger
And everything is working grand
With the jolly good crew of the drivers
And Ronald Kelly in command
For Ronald's the boss on the river
And he is one man that's alive
He drove the wood of Victoria
Now he's out on the main river drive.
Chorus
Break
So now to conclude and to finish
I hope that ye all will agree
In wishing success to all badgers
And the A.N.D. company
And long may they live for to flourish
and continue to chop drive and roll
And long may the business be managed
By Bill Dorothy and Mr. Cole.
Chorus
--
Fred Bulger | 1-(902)-429-3057
6137 Charles St. | bul...@ug.cs.dal.ca
Halifax, Nova Scotia | fbu...@ac.dal.ca
CANADA B3l 1K8 | bul...@moon.sba.dal.ca
David Dalton
It is on an album or Jim Payne's, or possibly Jim Payne and Kelly Russell,
and probably has been recorded by lots of other Newfoundland musicians,
whose recordings can be ordered from:
O'Brien's (709) 753-8135 (better for old/out-of-print),
Fred's (709) 753-9191 Fax(709) 739-4849 (more modern recordings),
Black Swan Records (604) 734-2828 / 734-2899 [FAX] (distributed recordings).
All three of these stores can send you catalogues.
--
David Dalton ------------------------------ <Dal...@Geop.UBC.Ca> ------
Dept. of Geophysics & Astronomy, (604) 822-2267
2219 Main Mall, University of British Columbia fax 822-6047
Vancouver, Canada V6T 1Z4 home 733-1303