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A smart steamboat from Canada three weeks ago came down,
With booze enough stowed in her hold to paralyze the town;
As no one ever saw her and didn't see her come,
And now the town is asking who shipped this foxy rum.
She didn't come from Trinity, or any northern bay,
As all the stills for making booze are taken down today;
No more the drop of moonshine we all did love so dear,
We now must buy a bottle since the stills did disappear.
Who shipped this booze to Newfoundland, are all the people dead,
As no one seems to answer, are their tongues glued in their head;
It never came from Harbour Main to put us on the bum,
Then let us ask a dummy, who shipped this foxy rum.
Some good, kind-hearted citizen, who loves his country dear,
He knew we are a thirsty crowd and dying for our beer;
With lots of money for to burn, he did it for a joke,
He knew we couldn't buy it when the country it is broke.
How very kind some people are who shipped this booze today,
And being so very modest, his name he wouldn't, say;
He wouldn't let the right hand know or blather out like some,
For all was done in silence when he shipped the foxy rum.
Some fellow up in Winnipeg, we read it in the news,
For he got all the contracts to keep Newfoundland in booze;
For Newfoundland can lower it down, no matter where it came,
If moonshine from Flat Island or rum from sunny Spain.
Are all the town like dummies, can no one give us news,
Or any information of the one who shipped the booze;
But mum they say it is the word, so keep your noodle cool,
Don't ask no foolish questions, for no tales out of school.
Published in Burke's Ballads, p.46, c.1960, compiled by John White and archived at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Libraries, Centre For Newfoundland Studies - Digitized Books collection.
See more songs by Johnny Burke.
From the Dictionary of Newfoundland English:
Foxy Rum - light-coloured or amber rum.
