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"Sailing Down My Golden River" is perhaps one of the most iconic of Pete Seeger's river-themed songs. It is certainly a favorite of many Hudson River Maritime Museum staff, board members, and volunteers.
Pete Seeger wrote "Sailing Down My Golden River" in the 1960s, coinciding with his idea to build a replica Hudson River sloop as a way to educate people about the plight of the polluted Hudson River. To learn more about Pete's dream and the construction of the replica sloop that would become known as Clearwater, visit our online exhibit "Rescuing the River." Released on his fourth studio album, "Rainbow Race," in 1973 on the Columbia Records label, this version is a live recording from the 1979 Bread & Roses Festival.
"Sailing Down My Golden River"
Words and Music by Pete Seeger Sailing down my golden river Sun and water all my own Yet I was never alone Sun and water, old life givers L'll have them where ere I roam And I was not far from home Sunlight glancing on the water Life and death are all my own Yet I was never alone Life for all my sons and daughters Golden sparkles in the foam And I was not far from home Sailing down this winding highway Travelers from near and far And I was never alone Exploring all the little byways Sighting all the distant stars And I was not far from home Sailing down my golden river Sun and water all my own Yet I was never alone Sun and water, old life givers L'll have them where ere I roam And I was not far from home Yet I was never alone And I was not far from home
Do you have a favorite Pete Seeger song or memory? We were lucky to host Pete in 2012 for the "barn raising" of the timber framed structure at the museum called the Kingston Home Port and Education Center (affectionately dubbed "The Barn") - a building shared by the Hudson River Maritime Museum and our friends the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. Appropriately, he played "If I had a Hammer" to the crowds, at the age of 93.
If "Sailing Down My Golden River" brings up a special memory or meaning for you, please share in the comments! And if this is your first time hearing the song, what did you think? Special thanks to Hudson River Maritime Museum volunteer Mark Heller for contributing to this post.
If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!
1 Comment
Arlene Gould
4/6/2020 08:31:03 pm
I'd not heard this in years and it brought tears and beautiful memories of singing with Pete, and of our beautiful home here in the Hudson Valley/Catskills. Today, for the first time, I walked along the bank of lovely Gray Brook, on a ridge between the Gunks and Catskills in Accord, it was magical with early Spring greens peeping out..
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