Land of the Silver Birch

Land of the Silver Birch

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.

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 thee,
Here in the lowlands,
I will return to thee,
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."

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

ilver Birch in the Scouts and Guiding Movement

Since the 1930's the song has been popular Scouts Canada and Girl Guides of Canada. Its origin is unclear.It is sung regularly at Canadian Scout and Girl Guide Camps. Doe Lake camp, has a campfire everweek, in which the song is sung as follows;

land of the silver birch home of the beaverwhere still the mighty moose wanders at willBlue 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 lowlandsMy 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

External links

* [http://www.severacek.cz/mp3/silverbirch.mp3 Severáček - an extraordinary children's choir from the Czech Republic - sang a moving performance of Land of the Silver Birch in their Canadian tour.]

Sang as an introduction to the 2002 Sarendipity film Men With Brooms


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