Lumbering Songs from the Ontario Shanties

Canadian folk song authority Edith Fowke recorded men who decades earlier had ventured into the North Woods of Ontario to cut timber. Known as lumbermen, shanty boys, or lumberjacks, the men endured both cold and substantial danger. As many lumbermen lost their lives plying their trade, it is not surprising that a number of songs memorialize fallen comrades. Other songs relate everyday life in the lumber camps, the work, or leisure time in town. The songs in this collection are field recordings, many recorded in the lumbermen’s homes.

Liner notes describe the circumstances of Fowkes’ recording efforts, provide general background information, and discuss the origin of each song along with its lyrics.