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This song was one of his first, perhaps written at age fifteen. A older, African-Canadian gentleman came every year to the cenotaph near Tecumseh Park in Chatham during the Festival of Nations Weekend -- he knew he would find Dan there and would hear his favourite song.

Lyrics

The Sailor Song

I'd be a sailor if I had a sail, if I had a sail, I would be
I'd be a whaler if I had a whale, a whale I could hunt on the sea
but I don't have anything, anything much
so I'll just have to settle for me

I'd be a tailor if I had a tale, if I had a tale I could tell
and I'd be a seashell if I had the sea, if I had the sea in a shell
but I don't have anything, anything much
so I'll just have to settle for me, no I don't have anything, anything much
so I'll just have to settle for me

I’d be a railroad if I had a train, if I had a train to support
and I'd be a cloud if I just had some rain, if I just had some rain I could pour
but I don't have anything, anything much, so I'll just have to settle for me
no I don't have anything, anything much, so I'll just have to settle for me, I'll just have to settle for me

I'd be a soldier if I had a war, if I had a war to die in
and I'd be a thief if I just had a store, if I just had a store to break in
I would be after if I was not before, I'd be without if I weren't within Yeah
I would be Naked
if I didn't wear CLOTHES
if I didn't wear clothes, I'd be NUDE
I suppose I'd be rude if I was not polite, if I was not polite, I'd be crude, yeah
but I am not anything, anything much, so I'll just have to settle for me
I am not anything, anything much, so I’ll just have to settle for me

I'd be a sailor if I had a sail, if I had a sail I would be
and I'd be a whaler if I had a whale, a whale I could hunt on the sea
But I don't have anything, anything much, so I'll just have to settle for me
no I don't have anything, anything much, so I'll just have to settle for me, I'll just have to settle for Me