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Faintly as tolls the evening chime,
Our voices keep tune and our oars keep time,
Our voices keep tune and our oars keep time;
Soon as the woods on shore look dim,
We'll sing at St. Ann's our parting hymn;
Row, brothers, row, the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near and the daylight's past,
The rapids are near and the daylight's past.
Why should we yet our sail unfurl?
There is not a breath the blue wave to curl,
There is not a breath the blue wave to curl;
But when the wind blows off the shore,
Oh, sweetly we'll rest the weary oar;
Blow, breezes, blow, the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near and the daylight's past,
The rapids are near and the daylight's past.
Collected by Edith Fulton Fowke (Literary Editor) and Richard Johnston (Music Editor) and published as A Canadian Boat Song in Folk Songs Of Canada, pp.60-61, (Waterloo Music Company, Waterloo, Ontario, 1955).
From Poetry by Thomas Moore, 1903:
A Canadian Boat Song
Faintly as tolls the evening chime,
Our voices keep tune and our oars keep time.
Soon as the woods on shore look dim,
We'll sing at St. Ann's our parting hymn.
Row, brothers, row, the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near and the daylight's past.
Why should we yet our sail unfurl?
There is not a breath the blue wave to curl;
But, when the wind blows off the shore,
Oh! sweetly we'll rest our weary oar.
Blow, breezes, blow, the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near and the daylight's past.
Utawas' tide! this trembling moon
Shall see us float over thy surges soon.
Saint of this green isle! hear our prayers,
Oh, grant us cool heavens, and favouring airs.
Blow, breezes, blow, the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near and the daylight's past.
