Talk:Row, Row, Row Your Boat

The last line
I've always thought the last line was "Like a submarine", but I'll accept that "Life is but a dream" is more likely, given the apparent age of the song, and the fact that submarines are not designed to be rowed. Rwxrwxrwx 15:00, 6 August 2006 (UTC)

The metaphor paragraph desperately needs to be sourced according to No Original Research. Pvodenski 21:38, 27 December 2006 (UTC)

Tré Cool's version
I doubt that the version attributed to Tre Cool is his own work. I had been singing those lyrics since about 1994: way before anyone had ever heard of Tre. If no one can produce evidence that the lyrics are his, I'll remove reference to him (but leave the lyrics, of course). Dotancohen 09:14, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

A verry weird version found in Quebec

 * It is just that I don't know it I should put it in the article...
 * Lone long submarine
 * Swim as long you can
 * Swim and swim and swim and swim
 * Swim as long you can —Preceding unsigned comment added by Bdec (talk • contribs) 07:50, 22 December 2007 (UTC)


 * Talking about weird, another version (from a radio show).
 * blow, blow, blow your bomb,
 * Up inside your vest.
 * Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar,
 * Islam is a pest. --178.112.4.248 (talk) 14:10, 20 January 2011 (UTC)


 * Hmmm. I would consider not putting the latter into the article somehow... Orphan Wiki  14:18, 20 January 2011 (UTC) (Spooky) But it is good to know it exists....

In Berrinba SHS in Logan, Australia, it used to be a combination of the parodies "Row, row, row your boat, Down a croc infested stream. Chuck your teacher overboard, And listen to her scream"

Additional verse question
Are the additional verses part of the original setting, or have they been added over time? Either way, this should be explained in the article —Preceding unsigned comment added by 198.62.98.200 (talk) 17:10, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes, I had the same thought. I'm pretty sure these verses are "folk" additions just like those in the next section, just not quite as irreverent (and possible older). I'm going to edit this to reflect that idea. --Ericjs (talk) 15:15, 17 July 2008 (UTC)

I've made the change (mistakenly while not logged in), but didn't go so far as merging the "Additional" and "Alternate" sections, though I think it may make sense to do so. The main difference between the two sections is that those in the latter are all either more irreverent, parodic, or else adaptions credited to a specific person, so some distinction may make sense to be kept, so I'm not sure the best way to integrate them. --Ericjs (talk) 15:21, 17 July 2008 (UTC)


 * Whoops should have read this talk page before editing. I did merge them. Also I think the section should be severely trimmed. Odeally only verses that can be attributed to someone should be in IMO. Theresa Knott | The otter sank 15:24, 17 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I noticed that after changing my mind and about to merge them also. :^) I think it makes sense. --Ericjs (talk) 15:26, 17 July 2008 (UTC)


 * I don't agree though that only attributable versions should be included. This song has become a part of the culture and I think recognizing the ubiquity of "folk" versions is desireable. But whether we need to include every folk version is certainly questionable, and I don't know where or if the line should be drawn. --Ericjs (talk) 15:30, 17 July 2008 (UTC)


 * The inclusion of so many extra and alternative versions is to the detriment of this article. Other encyclopedias simply do not do this. This is is not a forum where we can put our favourites. The vast majority should be deleted or at the very least moved to Wikisource so that this can be an informative and informed guide to the topic.--Sabrebd (talk) 19:12, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

Music score
This would more properly be represented in 12/8 or 6/8 time. The tied dotted quavers and semiquavers should be crotchet-quaver or quaver-semiquaver groups instead. Try counting it! --Rfsmit (talk) 23:56, 24 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Completely agree... I just happened to hit the play button on the sound clip (which is in 4/4, as on the score) and it's most definitely not how I've ever played the song, and I'm sure it should be counted in 12/8. This means that in the last line "life is but a dream", the 'is' and 'a' are each one quaver long, whilst 'life' and 'but' are a crotchet. Something like this:


 * -align="center"
 * 128|| .♩ || .♩ || ♩ || ♪ || .♩ || | || ♩ || ♪ || ♩ || ♪ || .♩︵.♩ || | || ♪ || ♪ || ♪ || || ♪ || ♪ || ♪ ||  ||♪ || ♪ || ♪ ||  || ♪ || ♪ || ♪ || | || ♩ || ♪ || ♩ || ♪ || .♩︵.♩ || |
 * -align="center"
 * || Row, || row, || row || your || boat || || gent- || ly || down || the || stream; || || mer- || ri- || ly, || || mer- || ri- || ly, || || mer- || ri- || ly, || || mer- || ri- || ly, || || life || is || but || a || dream. ||
 * }
 * --Woodgreener (talk) 15:46, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

Other languages
Sabrebd wrote: There is no reason to have foreign language translations on the English Wikipedia. I feel that the foreign language versions add interest to the article, and I would like them to be restored. Pace Sabrebd, they are not all translations, and part of the interest in them lies in seeing which languages have mere translations and which (e.g. Danish) have local variations. I take the point that the present page is in *English* Wikipedia, but I don't know of any better location for the article. If anybody knows a better place to put the non-English part of the article, please put it there, or let me know and I'll do it. Otherwise, and unless there is a substantial majority view in favour of removing the "translations", I propose to reinstate the previous version of the article. Eebkent (talk) 10:42, 21 May 2010 (UTC)


 * Thanks for raising this debate. Just to put the other side of the case, in addition to the problem that this is the English language wikipedia, there are two major issues with the "translations":
 * The first is the guideline that Wikipedia is not a collection of indiscriminate information. Encyclopedias don't normally just every available version of something, and let the reader work it all out for themselves. From this perspective some text, properly sourced, that indicates there are many foreign language versions (some straight translations and some producing local variations) and perhaps with a couple of sourced examples, would be more in keeping with the aim of a scholarly project. It is also important to keep in mind that notability, not interest, is the main criteria for inclusion of information.


 * Second, it that even it were accepted that the translations should be restored, they were completely unsourced and all content on Wikipedia should be supported by verifiable sources. This is also true of the translations of the foreign langauge versions, as for many readers there is no way of knowing if the translations are literal or accurate without a verifiable source.


 * You mention whether somewhere else might be an appropriate place for this information and I think it would be worth exploring: wikisource at [] or perhaps wikiquote at []. I not sure these versions will be acceptable there, but they look more appropriate as a home if you want to preserve the translations for comparison. There could then be a link to the page with them on in this article.


 * Finally, I am aware that some of this applies to the Additional or alternate verses section and have been hanging on in the hope of getting some sources out of the tag. Eventually if sources and relevance cannot be provided they will have to be deleted from this article as well.-- SabreBD  (talk)  12:10, 21 May 2010 (UTC)

Interpretation
As for Hugh Prather, the author and minister remarked that the song supports his contention that life is to be enjoyed (rather than be a burden), with the number of tasks (three "rows") offset by one more measure of enjoyment (four "merrilies"). Asteriks (talk) 15:00, 29 December 2010 (UTC)


 * And you point is?-- SabreBD  (talk)  20:03, 29 December 2010 (UTC)

I have run across a number of different references with respect to this song being a metaphor for how we should guide our lives with the final line being the argument for guiding your life in the manner suggested: Row, row, row (continuous effort guiding in a specific direction) your boat (specifically your life and nobody elses - everyone needs to take charge of their own lives and guide themselves, be it friends, family, spouse or children), gently (this term could either be interpreted as being with respect to the boat, be gentle with yourself, or with respect to the effort provided in which case I would interpret it as being continuous and steady effort, and an amount that can readily be maintained) down the stream (you are not fighting against the current though rather navigating your life, finding your path, choosing those opportunities that best suit you and working your way through any challenges you encounter), merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily (with a positive and cheerful attitude and outlook), life is but a dream (life is ephemeral: we live to experience though the relevance of our personal experiences are limited to ourselves and as a result their true significance can only be measured in how these experiences shape ourselves. This leads to one interpretation that true significance can only be achieved through shared experience and the degree to which these common experiences change how we relate to each other and our world). http://www.allthingshealing.com/Meditation/Wisdom-in-the-Round-from-Seeds-for-the-Soul/16113#.V7B1ffkrLGg

Millersville University
I go to Millersville University and it is widely accepted that this song was orignally written on our Campus. If anybody has heard of this or anything about it. It would be cool to see this on the page. We actually have a building named Lyte on campus. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jkuz (talk • contribs) 17:33, 21 February 2011 (UTC)

Added Dirty Harry to the popular culture section
I've added this to the popular culture section. It's quite an iconic scene of the film where Scorpio(the villain)hijacks a school bus and forces the children to sing the nursery rhyme. I'm surprised it isn't mentioned.Wyliecoyote1990 (talk) 00:24, 18 October 2013 (UTC)

in popular culture
Hey guys I didn't change anything because I don't really know anything about how the editing process, I wanted to mention that "Breaking Bad" was never on HBO. Hope someone is able to make the change. Thanks. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 58.8.78.73 (talk) 20:02, 16 January 2014 (UTC)

Major or minor scale?
I don't think that the notes in the article correspond to the original: As far as I know, the song is written in minor scale! In my ears, it sounds awful in the major key. Max Blatter (talk) 17:59, 31 May 2023 (UTC)


 * The source being used shows a major scale. Not that it matters, it would work in a minor mode, but I've never seen or heard it as anything other than a melody in a major scale.  signed, Willondon (talk)  18:26, 31 May 2023 (UTC)