Formed in 2001, The Duhks (pronounced like "ducks") are a five-piece Canadi… Read Full Bio ↴Formed in 2001, The Duhks (pronounced like "ducks") are a five-piece Canadian folk-rock group. Four of them are from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Their music draws heavily on Celtic traditions, but is also influenced by gospel music, bluegrass, and other North American musical traditions, and uses acoustic instruments with rock and Latin-influenced percussion. In spring 2016, the band announced that they would no longer be touring. They have not released any new music since 2014.

The band's name derives from banjoist Leonard Podolak's earlier band Scruj MacDuhk (pronounced Scrugg MachDuke). MacDuhk was a warrior chieftain who fought with William Wallace, resisting English occupation of Scotland, during the reign of King Edward I. The entire name is a wordplay on the Disney character Scrooge McDuck created by Carl Barks.

In March of 2007 lead singer and budding songwriter Jessee Havey left the band to pursue other interests. Singer Sarah Dugas joined the band in July of 2007 and is on the road with The Duhks.

In late 2007, percussionist Scott Senior left the band to spend more time with his family, as his partner, Tara Beckta, was expecting their second child. Christian Dugas, Sarah's brother and a former bandmate of Leonard Podolak, has since joined The Duhks. Other members are fiddler Tania Elizabeth and guitarist Jordan McConnell.

In October 2007 The Duhks Sustainability Project http://www.greenduhks.com was launched to raise awareness about ways to live a more economically-viable and ecologically-sustainable lifestyle. In April 2008, The Duhks performed a post Earth Day benefit in Nederland, Colorado.

In spring 2016, the band announced that they would no longer be touring. They have not released any new music since 2014.

http://www.duhks.com

Dover Delaware
The Duhks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Walk down Marva road a stranger
Threw my stone far across the bay
Sent my son to a foreign ocean,
And dreamed of my home so far away

The darkness split to see a soldier
Struck by the spinning of the beacon's light
Take your tune he said "Treat it tender

And make good use of it tonight"

Sing a love song for the first to fall
Keep singing 'til they fight no more
Tell my love I'll be waiting there
In Dover, Delaware
Dover, Delaware

Dark and grey, cold Atlantic
Dark and grey stand the ships in line
Waiting for another tide turn
Sent to fight for one more time

Sing a love song for the first to fall
Keep singing 'til they fight no more
Tell my love I'll be waiting there
In Dover, Delaware
Dover, Delaware

Watch the shore fade behind me
Watch the smoke from the grey ship stack
Watch the cannon and the bomb fall
And when it's done they'll bring me back

Sing a love song for the first to fall
And keep singing 'til they fight no more
Tell my love I'll be waiting there
In Dover, Delaware
Dover, Delaware

Sing a love song for the first to fall
Keep singing 'til they fight no more
Tell my love I'll be waiting there
In Dover, Delaware
Dover, Delaware

In Dover, Delaware
Dover, Delaware

Overall Meaning

The Duhks's song "Dover Delaware" is a poignant reflection on war and the impact it has on those involved, particularly those left behind. The lyrics follow a soldier's journey as he leaves his family and home to fight a foreign war. The singer, likely a loved one of the soldier, dreams of home, as they throw a stone far across the bay. The soldier, struck by the spinning of the beacon's light, gives the singer a tune and implores them to "treat it tender" and "make good use of it tonight."

The chorus of the song, "sing a love song for the first to fall, keep singing 'til they fight no more, tell my love I'll be waiting there in Dover, Delaware," adds to the heart-wrenching nature of the song. The soldier knows that he may not return home and wants his loved ones to remember him after he's gone. The final verse conveys the brutal reality of war as the soldier watches the shore fade behind him and the bombs fall.

Overall, "Dover Delaware" is a powerful commentary on war from the perspective of those left at home, capturing the heartache and longing that comes with separation and loss.

Line by Line Meaning

Walk down Marva road a stranger
I wandered down an unfamiliar road

Threw my stone far across the bay
I threw a rock into the water

Sent my son to a foreign ocean,
I sent my child away to a distant sea

And dreamed of my home so far away
I longed for my distant home

The darkness split to see a soldier
The darkness was pierced by the light of a beacon, revealing a soldier

Struck by the spinning of the beacon's light
The soldier was moved by the spinning light of the beacon

Take your tune he said "Treat it tender
The soldier said, 'Take this melody and treat it with care'

And make good use of it tonight"
Use it well this evening

Dark and grey, cold Atlantic
The Atlantic was dark and grey, and cold

Dark and grey stand the ships in line
Ships stand in line, dark and grey

Waiting for another tide turn
Waiting for the tide to change