2. Do you think “A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day!” is supposed to mean anything or is it a nonsense phrase? Argue your point.
This phrase means that “Ah ha, my boys sing a riddle a day”. It was created to make the song more lively and catchy so the audience would sing with them.
Use the links below to gather more information about the song:
This song is about a man who comes from Lunenburg named Lukey. He has a beautifully painted green boat and there is a very fine room in the front of the boat. After returning home, Lukey discovered that his wife was dead and but he acts unconcerned and says he’ll get another in the spring of the year. The song tells the audience the story of Lukey when he is out at sea. The song also expresses that Lukey is really proud of his boat. This song is really catchy as it has a repeating verse throughout the song. The singer repeats the phrase “A-ha, me boys a-riddle-i-day” at the end of each verse. The song has the same melody throughout the whole song that makes the audience easier to remember the song.
6. The instrumentation in this piece is quite common in Eastern Canadian folk songs. Identify each instrument in the live video performance.
Instruments like the harp, , violin, drum, guitar, piano accordion, flute, tin whistle are used in this song .
7. Identify which region of Canada this song celebrates?
This song comes from the east coast of Canada and that is where this song celebrates.
8. Analyse why this might be a good example of a Canadian folk song.
Folk songs usually talk about the life of people, this piece of music reflects on the life of sailors in Newfoundland during the time when this song was made.
9. Do you think Canadians would have a personal connection with this song? Argue.
I think that Canadians would have a personal connection with this song because it is originated from Canada and may people were sailors at the time the song was made. Therefore, they can related to the song.
10. Do you think people living in the east would have a stronger personal connection than people living in the west? Argue.
I think that people living in the east would have a stronger personal connection than people living in the west as this song comes from the east coasted and people who live there grew up with the song.