ca. 1870s
Click to listen to Lee Murdock perform On Gravelly Bay
I was a handsome nice young man.
I hailed from Cleveland town;
And for daily occupation
I teamed for Johnny Brown.
An’ all day long I’d sport and play.
My joy I ne’er begrudged,
‘Til I was sent to Gravelly Bay
To work upon a drudge.
I had not been in Gravelly Bay
Scarce one day two, or three
Before a very fair young girl
Fell into love with me,
Sayin’, “Mike, my man, give me your hand,
From you I’ll never budge;
With you I’ll stay on Gravelly Bay
And work upon the drudge.”
Her mother standing at her door
Said, “Please don’t make such noise,
And another thing, you’re far too young
To trust among those boys.
And that young man that holds your hand,
If I can rightly judge,
Has just the eye that’ll make you sigh
Before you leave the drudge.”
“Now mother dear, don’t be severe,”
My darling then did say,
“Never eyes so fair, nor such black hair
Was e’er on Gravelly Bay!”
I took her to my bosom then;
The world did me begrudge;
And for many a day she got my pay
While working on the drudge.
But as the weeks did pass along,
And the channel lengthened too,
A doubt oft came to my mind
If she was really true.
And sad to relate, it is my fate,
Of women I’m no judge,
For she loved not one, but all the men
Who worked upon the drudge!
Published in Spirit of the Big Ditch: The Story of the Welland Canals in Pictures, Poems and Songs. Compiled, edited and annotated by Robert Ratcliffe Taylor. St. Catharines: The Historical Society of St. Catharines, 2024
The Historical Society of St. Catharines 