Land of the Silver Birch
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Land of the Silver Birch is a traditional Canadian folk song set to the words of a poem by the 19th Century Six Nations poet E. Pauline Johnson. It is sometimes sung to keep time while canoeing, and sometimes sung at campfires in a round.
The song's first appearance is unclear, although it dates from at latest the 1930s. It is popular in the Scouts Canada and Girl Guides of Canada movement.
Like most traditional songs the lyrics vary slightly. The following are representative:
- Land of the silver birch,
Home of the beaver
Where still the mighty moose
Wanders at will
- Refrain:
Blue lake and rocky shore,
I will return once more
Boom de de boom boom, Boom de de boom boom, Boom de de boom boom, bo-oo-oom
- My heart is sick for thy,
Here in the lowlands,
I will return to thy,
Hills of the north
- Refrain
- high on a rocky ledge ,
I'll build my wigwam
Close to the water's edge,
Silent and still
- Refrain
It is related to a similar song "My Paddle's Keen and Bright".
In 2005, The song was partly re-written by Canadian folk singer Dickson Reid and released on his debut album, "Sugar in the Snow."
[edit] Alternate lyrics
The lyrics of this song can be quite different depending on who you talk to and what region of Canada they are from.
- Land of the silver birch,
Home of the beaver
Where still the mighty moose
Wanders at will
- Refrain:
Blue lake and rocky shore,
I will return once more
Boom de de boom boom, Boom de de boom boom, Boom de de boom boom, ehaaa
- High on a rocky ledge
I'll build my wigwam
Close to the water's edge
Silent and still.
- Refrain
- My heart grows sick for thee
Here in the low lands
I will return to thee hills of the north
- Refrain
I have also heard it mixed up with another short song that is also used to keep time while paddling a canoe
- My paddle's keen and bright
Flashing with silver
Follow the wild goose flight
Dip, dip and swing
Dip, dip and swing her back
Flashing with silver
Swift as the wild goose flies
Dip, dip and swing
land of the silver birch home of the beaver where still the mighty moose wanders at will Blue lake and rocky shore, I will return once more.
Boom-diddy-ah-da, boom-diddy-ah-da, Boom-diddy-ah-da, bo-oo-oom
High on a rocky ledge I'll build my wigwam, Close by the water's edge, silent and still; Blue lake and rocky shore, I will return once more.
Boom-diddy-ah-da, boom-diddy-ah-da, Boom-diddy-ah-da, bo-oo-oom
My heart grows sick for thee here in the lowlands My heart cries out for thee, hills of the north; Blue lake and rocky shore, I will return once more.
Boom-diddy-ah-da, boom-diddy-ah-da, Boom-diddy-ah-da, bo-oo-oom
Land of the silver birch, home of the beaver, Where still the mighty moose wanders at will; Blue lake and rocky shore, I will return once more.
Boom-diddy-ah-da, boom-diddy-ah-da, Boom-diddy-ah-da, bo-oo-oom
[edit] External links
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