Name: Swing Your tail - 1:12
Duration: P00H01M15S
Description: William H. Smith, Liverpool Nova Scotia, August 15, 1948. "Swinging the tail" referred to the movement of a ship lying at anchor from a bow anchor. The direction of tide or wind would "swing the tail" so hence the direction of "mind how you swing your tail".

Swing Your tail - 1:12

from The Helen Creighton Folklore Society Presents: Songs of the Sea by Varouos tradition bearers and informants

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about

William H. Smith, Liverpool Nova Scotia, August 15, 1948. "Swinging the tail" referred to the movement of a ship lying at anchor from a bow anchor. The direction of tide or wind would "swing the tail" so hence the direction of "mind how you swing your tail".

lyrics

Swing Your Tail - William H.Smith [1:12]
AC: 2290 - MF NO: 289.344

Recorded: Liverpool, August 15, 1948. [See note for #5. Additional question asked by Thomas H. Raddall.]

Swing your tail, and a-swing your tail,
Mind how you swing your tail,
Swing last night and the night before,
Mind how you swing your tail.

One day the blackbird said to the crow,
Mind how you swing your tail,
“What makes you love your farmer so?”
Mind how you swing your tail.

“That’s my trade since I’ve been born,”
Mind how you swing your tail,
“Scratching and a-digging up the farmer’s corn.”
Mind how you swing your tail.

Swing your tail in the after___,
Mind how you swing your tail,
Swing last night and the night before,
Mind how you swing your tail.

credits

from The Helen Creighton Folklore Society Presents: Songs of the Sea, released May 24, 2023

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about

Helen Creighton Folklore Society Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Honoring folklorist Helen Creighton (1899-1989), who collected and published traditional music and lore of Maritime Canada. The mandate of the Helen Creighton Folklore Society is to encourage and promote work that reflects the diverse folk culture of the Maritimes as exemplified by the work begun by Dr. Creighton. For more information visit our website at: www.helencreighton.org. ... more

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