Paddles Away

Paddles Away, written for Gypsy Week in the early '40s.

Tune
This song was written to the tune of "Anchors Aweigh", the US Navy Fight Song, composed in 1906.

Gypsy Song
This was written for Gypsy Week in 1943 or 1944. Unit unknown. Staff unknown. Song ranking unknown.

Changes
Originally written in the '40s, before Camp Sweyolakan was open to all genders, the opening line was written "Paddles away, my girls, paddles away." It is unknown when it was changed to "my friends".

Song
Paddles away, my friends*, paddles away

Climb into your canoe and glide across the bay (Stroke, stroke, stroke)

We won’t be back tonight, we’ll camp on a far off shore

Sweyolakan, we’ll return to you as gypsies forever more.

We roam in gypsy bands, our home is on Mica Bay

And we won’t be back to camp again until that banquet

day

So carry on, fellow gypsies brave, until we return once

more

And we’ll all be back to camp next year for the fun that we

have in store.

(First Sing Separately, Then Together)