Join us each month in song!
Since 2016—our designated Year of Song—CDSS has featured a traditional song each month. Lorraine Hammond spearheaded this effort, and it was such a popular feature that Judy Cook volunteered to continue the tradition in 2017 and beyond.
Note: Many of these old songs should be looked at as “fairy tales for adults” in that they often address very strong, and sometimes scary, subject matter. They allow us to deal with difficult situations and emotions with the distance afforded by putting it in a song. They are cautionary tales, and had their use as such.
This month’s song:
- March 2024: The Badger Drive
Submitted by Mary Garvey
“The Badger Drive” is a Newfoundland folk song/ballad. The song is about a lumber drive near Badger, Newfoundland. As with many Newfoundland ballads, the lyrics are about traditional places and events and sometimes actual individuals—and this song has all those qualities.
The song was composed in 1912 by John V. Devine of King’s Cove, Bonavista Bay, NL. Local and family tradition hold that Devine composed it in a Grand Falls boarding house after having been fired from his job as scaler for the Anglo Newfoundland Development Company (A.N.D.). He sang the song at a St. Patrick’s Day concert at which company officials were present, and allegedly won his job back.
Listen to Barry Delaney performing “The Badger Drive:”
Lyrics
There is one class of men in this country that never is mentioned in song.
And now, since their trade is advancing, they’ll come out on top before long.
They say that our sailors have danger, and likewise our warriors bold,
But there’s none know the life of a driver, what he suffers with hardship and cold.Chorus:
With their pike poles and peavies and bateaus and all
They’re sure to drive out in the spring, that’s the time
With the caulks on their boots as they get on the logs,
And it’s hard to get over their time.Bill Dorothey he is the 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 is a man that’s kindhearted, on his word you can 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 it is read by each man,
But little they think of the fellows that drove the wood on Mary Ann,
For paper is made out of pulpwood and many things more you may know,
And long may our men live to drive it upon Paymeoch and Tomjoe.Chorus
The drive it is just below Badger, and everything is working grand,
With a jolly good crew of picked drivers and Ronald Kelly in command,
For Ronald is boss on the river, and I tell you he’s a man that’s alive,
He drove the wood off Victoria, now he’s out on the main river drive.Chorus
So now to conclude and to finish, I hope that ye all will agree
In wishing success to all Badger 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 Mr. Dorothey and Mr. Cole.Chorus
Mary Garvey writes: I am a retired but still working person originally from the lumber (major log drives here and pulp mills) region of Southwest Washington, USA. I did graduate work in experimental psychology at the University of Newfoundland (unfortunately was unable to complete it) and heard magnificent music there, including in my own house. I have been given a number of songs about my own corner of the world and put out CDs with other people on traditional songs of here (SW WA) and other places. Love Irish and British Isles songs, and Newfoundland songs, of course.
Past Songs
- February 2024: I Wonder When I Shall Be Married
- January 2024: The Hills of Tandragee
- December 2023: Christmas in the Trenches
- November 2023: The Handsome Cabin Boy
- October 2023: Seal Lullaby
- September 2023: Cock Robin
- August 2023: Dives and Lazarus
- July 2023: How to Make Love
- June 2023: The Lazy Farmer
- May 2023: We’re All Jolly Fellows that Follow the Plough
- April 2023: Reynardine
- March 2023: Free and Easy to Ramble Along
- February 2023: The Rose in June
- January 2023: Bed Is Too Small
- December 2022: Jack Ashton
- November 2022: Wild Mountain Thyme
- October 2022: I’ve Lived in Service
- September 2022: London Town
- August 2022: Yuba Dam
- July 2022: Bibble A La Do
- June 2022: The Golden Willow Tree
- May 2022: Ford o’ Kabul River
- April 2022: Bold Riley
- March 2022: The Foggy Dew
- February 2022: Scarborough Settler’s Lament
- January 2022: Tom o’Bedlam’s Song
- December 2021: We Shepherds Be the Best of Men
- November 2021: Catch Me If You Can
- October 2021: Somebody’s Waiting for Me / Country Garden
- September 2021: The Water Is Wide
- August 2021: Springfield Mountain
- July 2021: Shove the Grog Around (Shanty Song)
- June 2021: The Cruel Mother
- May 2021: Katie Catch
- April 2021: A Pilgrim’s Way
- March 2021: Glenlogie
- February 2021: Sprig of Thyme
- January 2021: Lord Bateman
- December 2020: Brave Boys
- November 2020: Abroad as I Was Walking
- October 2020: The Dowie Dens o’ Yarrow
- September 2020: The Setting of the Sun
- August 2020: Annachie Gordon
- July 2020: Stand Steady
- June 2020: Braw Lads of Galla-water
- May 2020: The Lincolnshire Poacher
- April 2020: The Hills of Mexico
- March 2020: I Saw Three Ships
- February 2020: The Trooper and the Tailor
- January 2020: Lost on the Lady Elgin
- December 2019: Bright Phoebe
- November 2019: Tickle Cove Pond
- October 2019: I’m Going Back to North Carolina
- September 2019: For the Company Underground
- August 2019: The Maid of Sweet Gurteen
- July 2019: Starving to Death on a Government Claim
- June 2019: Annan Water
- May 2019: The Shearin’s No’ For You
- April 2019: Shady Grove
- March 2019: Bedlam
- February 2019: The Bonny Bunch of Roses
- January 2019: Ambletown
- December 2018: Throw Open Your Shutters
- November 2018: The Wild Rover
- October 2018: She’s Like the Swallow
- September 2018: The Night Guard
- August 2018: Here’s Adieu to All Judges and Juries
- July 2018: Sailing
- June 2018: Earl o’Bran
- May 2018: Georgie
- April 2018: A Sailor’s Life
- March 2018: The Banks of Red Roses
- February 2018: The Boy That Wore The Blue
- January 2018: The Bay Of Biscay
- December 2017: Song, Composed in August
- November 2017: The Devil Buck
- October 2017: Double Sledder Lad
- September 2017: Sweet William’s Ghost
- August 2017: Welcome Home My Sailor
- July 2017: Drive Dull Care Away
- June 2017: When I Went for to Take My Leave
- May 2017: Bonnie Annie
- April 2017: The Death of Bill Brown
- March 2017: Money Is King
- February 2017: Tha Sneachd’Air Druim Uachdair
- January 2017: The January Man
- December 2016: Lamb and Lion
- November 2016: Farther On
- October 2016: Skin and Bones
- September 2016: Canaan’s Land
- August 2016: Farmer’s Daughter
- July 2016: Ladies Rejoice
- June 2016: The Press Gang
- May 2016: Dancing at Whitsun
- April 2016: Spring
- March 2016: The Bonnie Blue-Eyed Lassie
- February 2016: Paper of Pins
- January 2016: May It Fill Your Soul