Full Description
While well-known songs such as "The Badger Drive" and "Tickle Cove Pond" provide glimpses into the hard labour and rich culture of woods work in early twentieth-century Newfoundland and Labrador, little has been written about the lives of woods workers and the extent of their enduring cultural legacies. Songs, stories, recitations, poems, and instrumental tunes flourished in the woods camps. Many of them were created locally and reflect the people and experiences of woods work. Passed down by oral tradition in bunkhouses and at work sites, in family kitchens and at community concerts, these songs and stories address a gap in our understanding of this occupational culture and its history. This book is the first comprehensive collection of musical compositions, recitations, poems, and narratives written by, for, and about twentieth-century woods workers in Newfoundland and Labrador. It analyzes their significance—as both grassroots social history texts and creative and musical contributions—and creates a portrait of a culture shaped by the harvesting of timber. Inside you will find: a history of lumbering and logging; an exploration of the place of song and story in woods work and culture; musical transcriptions of 76 locally composed songs and tunes, with analysis of this musical tradition; complete song lyrics with contextual discussion; more than 70 archival photos; and a glossary of occupational words.
Contents
List of Images ix
Foreword Beverley Diamond xv
Acknowledgements xvii
Abbreviations xix
1 Lumbering and Logging in Newfoundland and Labrador: A Historical Backdrop for Occupational Culture Ursula A. Kelly 1
2 The Occupational Songs, Recitations, Poems, and Stories of the Woods Workers of Newfoundland and Labrador: An Introduction Ursula A. Kelly 39
3 Musical Features of the Songs and Tunes of the Woods Workers of Newfoundland and Labrador Meghan C. Forsyth 57
4 Songs and Tunes 63
5 Recitations 281
6 Poems 317
7 Narratives and First-Person Accounts 381
Appendix A
Annotated List of Migratory Woods Songs 419
Appendix B
Titles of Songs and Tunes 429
Titles of Recitations 430
Titles of Poems 430
Titles of Narratives and First-Person Accounts 431
First Lines of Songs 431
First Lines of Recitations 433
First Lines of Poems 433
Glossary 435
Reference List 441
Index 457
About the Authors 466
