Row, Row, Row Your Boat
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| "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" Roud #19236 |
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| Written by | Traditional |
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| Published | 1852 |
| Written | USA |
| Language | English |
| Form | Nursery Rhyme |
"Row, Row, Row Your Boat" is an English language nursery rhyme, and a popular children's song, often sung as a round. It can also be an 'action' nursery rhyme where singers sit opposite one another and 'row' forwards and backwards with joined hands. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 19236.
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[edit] Lyrics
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The most common modern version is:
- Row, row, row your boat,
- Gently down the stream.
- Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
- Life is but a dream.
[edit] Origins
It has been suggested that the song may have originally have arisen out of American minstrelsy.[1] The earliest printing of the song is from 1852, when the lyrics were published with similar lyrics to those used today, but with a very different tune.[1] It was reprinted again two years later with the same lyrics and another tune. The modern tune was first recorded with the lyrics in 1881, mentioning Eliphalet Oram Lyte in The Franklin Square Song Collection but not making it clear whether he was the composer or adapter.[1]
[edit] Meaning
The lyrics have often been used as a metaphor for life's difficult choices, and many see the boat as referring to one's self or a group with which one identifies.[2] Rowing is a skillful, if tedious, practice that takes perfection but also directs the vessel.[3] When sung as a group, the act of rowing becomes a unifier, as oars must be in sync in a rowboat. The idea that man travels along a certain stream suggests boundaries in the path of choices and in free will.[4] The third line recommends that challenges should be greeted in stride while open to joy with a smile.[5] The final line, "life is but a dream", is perhaps the most meaningful. With a religious point of view, life and the physical plane may be regarded as having equivalent value as that of a dream, such that troubles are seen in the context of a lesser reality once one has awakened.[6] Conversely, the line can just as equally convey nihilist sentiments on the meaninglessness of man's actions.
[edit] Additional or alternate verses
Sometimes people sing additional verses, which should probably be considered a form of Children's street culture, sometimes with the intent simply of extending the song, or sometimes (especially in the case of more irreverent versions) with the intent of making it funny, parodying it, or substituting another sensibility for the perceived innocent one of the original.
King Friday XIII's version as shown on Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood:
- Propel, propel, propel your craft,
- Unforcefully down the liquid solution.
- Ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically, ecstatically,
- Existence is merely an illusion.
Don Music from Sesame Street:
- Drive, drive, drive your car,
- Gently down the street.
- Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
- Life is but a treat.
Mr. Bean in Bean (film) variated the lyrics while drunk:
- Row, row, row your boat
- Gently down the stream.
- If you see a crocodile,
- Don't forget to scream.
- Argh!
Lt. George in Blackadder Goes Forth
- Row, row, row your boat
- Gently down the stream.
- Belts off, Trousers down,
- Isn't life a scream.
- HEY!
an extended version[citation needed]:
- Row, row, row the boat
- Gently down the stream
- Merrily merrily merrily merrily
- Life is but a dream
- Row, row, row the boat
- Gently down the stream
- If you see a waterfall
- Don't forget to scream
- Row, row, row the boat
- Gently down the river
- If you see a polar bear
- Don't forget to shiver
- Row, row, row the boat
- Gently to the shore
- If you see a lion
- Don't forget to roar
- Row, row, row the boat
- Gently in the bath
- If you see a spider
- Don't forget to laugh
- Row, row, row the boat
- Gently as can be
- Cause if you're not careful
- You'll fall into the sea!
- Row, row, row your boat
- Gently down the lake
- Don't stand up and rock the boat
- That's a big mistake!
- Row, row, row the boat
- Gently down the stream
- Throw your teachers overboard
- And listen to them scream!
- Rock, rock, rock your boat
- Gently to and fro
- Watch out, give a shout,
- Into the water you go!
- Row, row, row your boat,
- Gently down the stream. (or Underneath the stream.)
- Ha! Ha! Fool'd ya all!
- I'm a submarine.
- Row, row, row your boat,
- Gently down the brook.
- If you catch a little fish,
- Let it off the hook.
- Throw, throw, throw the corpse,
- Gently in the grave.
- Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
- Say goodbye and wave.
[edit] Other languages
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Songs using the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat are found in dozens of languages worldwide. Many directly translate the English lyrics or find equivalents, while others play more loosely with the rhymes. Some also mention specific bodies of water, such as the Danish and Norwegian versions which refer to the Kattegat.
| Language | Lyrics | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Czech | Pluj, pluj, loďko pluj dál po proudu jen vesele, vesele, vesele, vesele život je jen sen. |
Row, row, row the boat further down the stream merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily life is just a dream. |
| Danish | Ro, ro, ro din båd Tag din åre fat Vuggende, vuggende, vuggende, vuggende Over Kattegat |
Row, row, row your boat take a grab of your oar rocking, rocking, rocking, rocking over Kattegat |
| Danish (Drinking version) |
Drik, drik, drik din øl Ta' ved flasken fast Hvis du ser en autonom Så sku du ta og kast |
Drink, drink, drink your beer take a grab of your bottle if you see an autonomous you should take a throw |
| Dutch | Roei, roei, roei je boot zachtjes door de stroom vrolijk, vrolijk, vrolijk, vrolijk `t leven is maar een droom |
Literal |
| Farsi | رو رو با قایق در مسیر آب پارو زن شادی کن پارو زن شادی کن زندگی زیباست |
Ride and go with your boat down the stream row and be happy life is beautiful |
| French | Rame, rame, rame sur ton bateau Doucement, dans le courant |
Literal[7] |
| German | Fahr, fahr, fahr dein Boot Durch Wasser und durch Schaum |
Row, row, row your boat Through water and through foam |
| Greek | Τράβα το κουπί σκίσε το νερό ήρεμα ήρεμα ήρεμα κύλα στον αφρό |
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| Hungarian | Szaladj, szaladj csónakom túl a kis tavon vígan, vígan, vígan az élet egy álom |
Run, run my boat Over the little lake Merrily, merrily, merrily Life is a dream |
| Italian | Va, va, lenta va La barchetta va Passan le ochette, salutano e seguono Lentamente va |
slow, slow, slowly goes the little boat goes small geese pass by, greet and follow It slowly goes |
| Korean | 리 리 리자로 끝나는말은 괴나리 보따리 댑싸리 소쿠리 유리항아리 |
Li Li Li the words ending with Li's are [Korean words ending with pronunciation Li's] |
| Latin | Flumen placide naviga tuum laetulae laetulae laetulae latulae vita somnium |
The placid river guides your (life) Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily Life is a dream |
| Norwegian | Ro, ro, ro din båt Ta din åre fatt Vuggeti, vuggeti, vuggeti, vuggeti Over Kattegat |
Row, row, row your boat take hold of your oar rocking, rocking, rocking, rocking over Kattegat |
| Spanish | Vamos a pasear en un botecito rápido,rápido,rápido,rápido, en un botecito |
Let's go sail in a little boat fast, fast, fast, fast in a little boat |
| Spanish (Plaza Sésamo version) |
Rema, rema, rema tu bote Rema por la calle Muy felices y contentos Vamos por el valle |
Row, row, row your boat row it down the street Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily we go through the valley |
| Turkish | Sür, sür arabanı Gez sokakları Neşeli, keyifli, tasasız Çıkar hayatın tadını |
Drive, drive, drive your car wander the streets merrily , cheerily, easily enjoy the life |
| Polish | Płyń,płyń,łódko płyń W dół strumienia hen! Na,na,na,na,na,na,na,na Życie jest jak sen |
Row,row,row boat row Gently down the stream Na,na,na,na,na,na,na,na Life is like dream |
[edit] In popular culture
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This "In popular culture" section may contain too many minor or trivial references. Please reorganize this content to explain the subject's impact on popular culture rather than simply listing appearances, and remove trivia references. (February 2009) |
[edit] Film
- It was sung by the main character Jamey Meadows, played by Jon Bon Jovi, in the film Row Your Boat.
- In Stargate SG1 season 3, episode 16, Urgo: all SG-1 team was singing the same song when each member of the team was in a different room, and the cause of it was Urgo who was affecting their minds. [8]
- Sung by Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock at the beginning and end of the film Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Mr. Spock did not join in the first time, as the Vulcan was "trying to comprehend the words". It was also sung by children in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Hero Worship".
- In the film Vanilla Sky, it is the ringtone on Julianna Gianni's cellular phone, one of many references in that film to life being a dream.
- In the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Joel (Jim Carrey) sang it along Clementine (Kate Winslet) to try and hide from the memory erasers.
- In episode S01E02 of J.J. Abrams' show Fringe, titled "The Same Old Story", it is the song Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) sang to his father to get him into sleep.
- In Kenny Ortega's Hocus Pocus (1993) the last scene shows the protagonist's bullies Ernie "Ice" and Jay imprisoned in cages waiting to be released, singing the song in rounds while the camera goes to the spellbook for the end credits.
- It was sung by Dr. Harry Dalton, played by Pierce Brosnan, and the Wando family while roaring over an acid lake in a sinking boat, in the film Dante's Peak.
- The rhyme inspired japanese graphic artist Kozue Amano to draw ARIA, a 12-volume "new age healing" story arc about venetian gondolier girls, 300 years in the future.
- It was sung by Walter Pidgeon, Peter Lawford and Angela Lansbury in the film The Red Danube.
[edit] Music
- Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys frequently performs "Row Row Row Your Boat" in concert.
- It is referenced on Tool's album AEnima in the song "Third Eye".
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c S. M. Studwell, The Americana Song Reader (Haworth Press, 1997), p. 82.
- ^ Barrett, Tom (December 2, 2005). "Life is But a Dream". Interlude Meditation Archive. http://www.interluderetreat.com/meditate/nursery.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
- ^ Knapp, Caroline (November 22, 1998). "Row, Row, Row". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/11/22/reviews/981122.22knappt.html. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
- ^ Taylor, Steven Lane (January 5, 2008). "Row, Row, Row Your Boat". http://www.rowrowrow.com/index.html. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
- ^ Steen, Tracy (June 10, 2006). "A Note from the Editor". All-But-Dissertation Survival Guide. http://www.abdsurvivalguide.com/archives/june1006.htm#note. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
- ^ Schumann, Paul (January 4, 2006). "Row Your Boat". The Innovation Road Map Travelogue. http://innovationtravelogue.blogspot.com/2006/01/row-your-boat.html. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
- ^ http://www.mamalisa.com
- ^ http://www.gateworld.net/sg1/s3/316.shtml
