2 American/Swedish indie-pop duo … Read Full Bio ↴1 English folk band from the mid-1960s
2 American/Swedish indie-pop duo signed to Matinée Recordings in 2003
1. The 1960s Young Tradition apparently was formed by chance when Peter Bellamy and Royston Wood met when they were camping on a friend's floor, and started making harmonies together. Heather Wood (no relation to Royston) ran into them at a folk club and just joined in from the audience. Their harmonies, owe much to The Copper Family , but also came from their other musical loves. For Royston, it was classical music. For Heather, it was the Everly Brothers and years of school and church choirs.
2. The more recent Young Tradition consists of Californian-based songwriter Brent Kenji of The Guild League and Swedish musician Erik Hanspers, collaborating remotely through the post and the internet.
They have released an EP, California Morning, and an album, Northern Drive, on Matinée Recordings.
Chicken on a Raft
The Young Tradition Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hey yo, chicken on a raft!
I don't mind knockin', but I ain't goin' in!
Hey yo, chicken on a raft!
The jimmy's laughin' like it'd rain,
Hey yo, chicken on a raft!
He's lookin' at me comic cuts again!
Hey yo, chicken on a raft!
cho:Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning,
Oh, what a terrible sight to see,
Dabtoes forward and the dustmen aft,
Sittin' there a'pickin' at a chicken on a raft!
Hi, ho, chicken on a raft!
Hey, ho, chicken on a raft!
Hi, ho, chicken on a raft!
Hey, ho, chicken on a raft!
Gave me the middle and the forenoon too,
Now I'm pullin' on a whalin' crew.
Seagulls wheelin' overhead,
I oughter be home in me featherbed!
I had a little girl in Donny-B,
And did she make a fool of me.
Her heart was like a pusser's shower,
Run hot to cold in a quarter of an hour!
We kissed goodbye on a midnight bus,
She didn't cry and she didn't fuss,
Am I that one she loves the best,
Or just a cuckoo in another man's nest?
An amazon girl lived in Dumfries,
Only had her kids in two's and three's,
She's got a sister in Maryhill,
Says she won't but I think she will!
The Young Tradition's song "Chicken on a Raft" is a sea shanty about the drudgery of working on a ship. The verses are sung by a sailor who is not in the mood for the captain's antics and would rather be left alone. As the song progresses, the sailor regrets being on this vessel and reflects on his personal life.
The first verse sets the scene in the wardroom where the captain is drinking gin and the sailor is aware of the chicken on a raft. The captain is looking at comic cuts, which is a derogatory term for cartoons, and laughing like it's raining. The second verse highlights the frustration of the sailor as he sings about how he has had to work for half the day and is now pulling on a whaling crew. He describes seagulls overhead and how he would rather be in his warm bed.
The last two verses are about the sailor's two past loves. The first girl he met in Donny-B, and they parted ways on a midnight bus. The sailor is unsure if he's the one she loves or if he's just a placeholder in someone else's life. The second girl lives in Dumfries, and he believes she'll have more kids despite her claims to the contrary. The sailor's past relationships are a stark contrast to the monotony of his current life, and the song ends with a sense of longing for something more.
Line by Line Meaning
Skipper in the wardroom drinkin' gin,
The captain is in the private room drinking gin.
Hey yo, chicken on a raft!
Attention! A chicken is on the raft!
I don't mind knockin', but I ain't goin' in!
I don't have a problem knocking, but I won't be entering!
The jimmy's laughin' like it'd rain,
The first mate is laughing like it's pouring rain.
He's lookin' at me comic cuts again!
He's looking at my comic strips again!
Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning,
There's a chicken on the raft on a Monday morning.
Oh, what a terrible sight to see,
Oh, what a terrible sight to behold.
Dabtoes forward and the dustmen aft,
The inexperienced sailors are in the front and the lower ranks are in the rear.
Sittin' there a'pickin' at a chicken on a raft!
They are sitting there, picking at a chicken on a raft!
Hi, ho, chicken on a raft!
Hello and welcome, chicken on a raft!
Hey, ho, chicken on a raft!
Hey and welcome, chicken on a raft!
Hi, ho, chicken on a raft!
Hello and welcome, chicken on a raft!
Hey, ho, chicken on a raft!
Hey and welcome, chicken on a raft!
Gave me the middle and the forenoon too,
They gave me the middle of the day and the morning too.
Now I'm pullin' on a whalin' crew.
Now I'm working on a whaling crew.
Seagulls wheelin' overhead,
Seagulls are flying overhead in circles.
I oughter be home in me featherbed!
I'd rather be in the comforts of my own bed.
I had a little girl in Donny-B,
I had a small girlfriend in Donnybrook.
And did she make a fool of me.
And she made a fool of me.
Her heart was like a pusser's shower,
Her heart was inconsistent.
Run hot to cold in a quarter of an hour!
Changed from being nice to being cold in fifteen minutes!
We kissed goodbye on a midnight bus,
We kissed goodbye on a midnight bus.
She didn't cry and she didn't fuss,
She didn't cry, and she didn't make a fuss.
Am I that one she loves the best,
Am I the one she loves the most?
Or just a cuckoo in another man's nest?
Or am I just a parasite in someone else's life?
An amazon girl lived in Dumfries,
A tall girl lived in Dumfries.
Only had her kids in two's and three's,
She only had children in pairs of twos and threes.
She's got a sister in Maryhill,
She has a sister in Maryhill.
Says she won't but I think she will!
She says she won't, but I think she will!
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CYRIL TAWNEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
sudnoSS
Skipper's in the wardroom drinking gin, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
I don't mind knocking but I ain't going in, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
'Jimmy's' laughing like a drain, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Been looking at m' 'comic cuts' again. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning, oh what a terrible sight to see,
'Dabtoes' for'd and the Dustmen aft, sitting there picking at a 'chicken on a raft'.
Hey -oh, chicken on a raft, Oy -oh, chicken on a raft.
Hey -oh, chicken on a raft, Oy -oh, chicken on a raft.
They gave me the Middle and the Forenoon too, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
And now I'm pulling in the whaler's crew, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Seagulls wheeling overhead, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
I ought to be 'flogging' in a feather bed. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
I had a little girl in 'Donny B', (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
And oh, she made a fool of me, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Her heart was like a Pusser's shower, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
From hot to cold in a quarter of an hour. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning, oh what a terrible sight to see,
'Dabtoes' for'd and the Dustmen aft, sitting there picking at a 'chicken on a raft'.
We kissed goodbye on the midnight bus, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
She didn't cry, she didn't fuss, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Am I the man that she loves best? (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Or am I just a cuckoo in another man's nest? (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning, oh what a terrible sight to see,
'Dabtoes' for'd and the Dustmen aft, sitting there picking at a 'chicken on a raft'.
An Amazon girl lives in Dumfries, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
She only has kids in twos and threes, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Her sister lives in Maryhill, (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
She says she won't but I think she will. (Hey -oh, chicken on a raft)
Geoff Thomas
@George Curry Nope - although an understandable error.
each iteration has a verse with 4 mentions, a couplet with two mentions and a final mention four times.
So, there are ten mentions each round, and five rounds of verse/chorus sets. 5 x 10 = 50.
BUT Verse three has only 3 iterations, not four.
So the total is 49, not 50.
J McIver
Well skippers in the wardroom drinkin' gin,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
I don't mind a'knockin' but I ain't a'goin in,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
The Jimmys laughin' like it'd rain,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
He lookin' at me comic cuts again,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning oh what a terrible sight to see, dabtoes forward and the dustman aft, sitting there pickin' at a chicken on a raft
Hi yo, chicken on a raft!
Hey yo, chicken on a raft!
Hi yo, chicken on a raft!
Hey yo, chicken on a raft!
Well he gave me the middle and the the forenoon too,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
And now I'm pullin' in a whalin crew,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
There's a seagull wailin' overhead,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
Thought I oughta be sleepin' Ina featherbed,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning oh what a terrible sight to see, dabtoes forward and the dustman aft, sitting there pickin' at a chicken on a raft!
Hi yo, chicken on a raft
Hey yo, chicken on a raft
Hi yo, chicken on a raft
Hey yo, chicken on a raft
Well I had a little girl in donny-b,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
And did she make a fool of me,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
Her heart was like a pussers shower,
Run a'hot to cold in a quarter of an hour,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning oh what a terrible sight to see, dabtoes forward and the dustman aft, sitting there pickin' at a chicken on a raft!
Hi yo, chicken on a raft!
Hey yo, chicken on a raft!
Hi yo, chicken on a raft!
Hey yo, chicken on a raft!
So we kissed goodbye on the midnight bus,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
But she didn't cry and she didn't fuss,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
So am I the man what she loves best,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
Or am I just a cuckoo in another man's nest?
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning oh what a terrible sight to see, dabtoes forward and the dustman aft, sitting there pickin' at a chicken on a raft
Hi yo, chicken on a raft
Hey yo, chicken on a raft
Hi yo, chicken on a raft
Hey yo, chicken on a raft
Well am amazon girl lived in dumfries,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
She only had her kids in twos and threes,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
And her sister lives in maryhill,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
She says she won't but I think she will,
Hi yo chicken on a raft!
Chicken on a raft on a Monday morning oh what a terrible sight to see, dabtoes forward and the dustman aft, sitting there pickin' at a chicken on a raft
Hi yo, chicken on a raft
Hey yo, chicken on a raft
Hi yo, chicken on a raft
Hey yo, chicken on a raft
Eflabb
Great rendition - Keith and Alex used to sing this together with Roman Gladiator, Pogles Wood, Haul Away for Rosy, the Man who Waters the Workers Beer and many more at the Garribaldi in St Albans in the early '80's.
Paul Diss
This was the first 'Traditional' song I ever sang joining in the harmonies with a couple of lads who had obviously learned it from the YT. As it turns out it isn't exactly traditional, but it's a damn fine song and the YTversion is still the best I've ever heard.
zimmermanhead
With 'dabtoes' and 'dustmen' you were well wide of the mark. Dabtoes is simply a name for butter; the dustmen were the salt and pepper shakers - as in 'pass the dustmen' a common enough cry at mealtimes aboard ship. Great song, great performance. It made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck when I first heard the YT sing it in a folk club.
Tommy Paint
Absolutely fantastic!
I wish that I could find a group to join here in Seattle that does this stuff!
Kathleen Sturgis
Heather Wood is the only member of the Young Tradition still alive and kicking, and still singing this song!
Sean NH
I saw your comment was four years old so I got worried she kicked the bucket, but it looks like she's alive and well currently.
...well, I'm assuming she's well, I don't know her personally. xD
Kathleen Sturgis
@Sean NH Yes, Heather is still alive and definitely kicking. I just saw her on a zoom meeting from Mystic Seaport last week.
Kathleen Sturgis
And I do know her personally, though she never remembers my name (or anyone's, for that matter).
Chris Brown
@Kathleen Sturgis Her voice shines through though she only has a drone part here. I'm glad to have made the superficial acquaintance of this group.
Jerry Larkin
@Kathleen Sturgis maybe you could ask her if YT's two John Peel sessions including interviews with the band will ever be released next time you're in touch. Thanks