| Play/Download Music File Barry Taylor |
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There are several lyrics for this tune.
I have made separate pages for each version. The music is, of course, the same. The lyrics to Young Man from Canada appear in the 1860s. There are other variations of the lyrics known as Peter Emberly, Peter Amberly or Peter Rambelay. These tunes recite the song of the death of a lumberman who is crushed by logs. Peter Rambelay is traced to the Miramichi River circa 1800. |
I'm a young man from Canada some six feet in my shoes I left my home for Cariboo on the first exciting news In New York City I met a gent introduced himself to me Said I, "I come from Canada so you can't come over me." I sailed on the crazy Champion all in the steerage too I thought I'd got among the fiends or other horrid crew If you had only seen them feed, it quite astonished me And I'd been years in Canada in a lumberman's shanty With seventy-five upon my back I came the Douglas way And at an easy-going pace made thirty miles a day I landed here without a dime in 1863 But I'd been years in Canada, 'twas nothing new to me In best of homespun I was clad so I was warmly dressed The wool it grew near Montreal in a place called Canada West On Williams Creek they called me green and Johnny come lately But, ah, I came from Canada, I ain't from the old country I started out my mining life by chopping cord wood But I was born with axe in hand so I could use it good My chum was from the state of Maine, somewhere near Tennessee But, ah, I came from Canada and he couldn't chop with me In a short time I'd made a raise and bought into a claim There they called me engineer or carman, 'tis the same The drifters then did try it on to boss it over me Said I, "I come from Canada and I'm on the shoulderee." In two weeks I got a div which drove away all care I went over to the wake-ups and had a bully square I danced all night till broad daylight and a gal smiled sweet on me Said I, "I come from Canada and I'm on the marry-ee." Now all young men who are in love and sure I am there's some Don't count your chicks before they're hatched or they may never come O when I asked that girl to wed she only laughed at me "You may come from Canada but you can't come over me." |
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Lyrics from Digital Tradition Folksong Database A great version of Tramps and Hawkers is found on Alastair MacDonald's Songs From Gretna to Glen Coe |
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