Ditchcrawler Dreamer by Ian H Bruce (2018) Recorded by Ian H Bruce Chorus : I'm a ditchcrawler dreamer Not a poser, nor schemer Not a vagabond, wastrel or cheat I drift through the land, tiller in hand See the best in the folks that I meet Life's propellor may churn But through each twist and turn Let worries drift off in your wake Banish workaday blues Take a spirit fuelled cruise And delight in the friendships you make It's not the cut of your coat Nor the state of your boat Which determines your value or worth But by utterance and deed Make other boaters concede You're a waterway salt of the earth When a breakdown occurs Your emotions are stirred 'Til there's help from some passer by Their random kind act Will leave your faith intact So "three cheers" for the unsung good guy When you're down in the lock And your partner's up top But is struggling to open the gate You hear chatter and cheer Then the lock gate swings clear 'Cos some strangers have added their weight You will soon drift away As your boat gently sways But of peace there's no guarantee So avoid towpath louts And boaters who shout We don't want any argy bargee Boats that pass on the right May be ships in the night You may see them again or may not But don't pass and ignore Establish some brief rapport Remember, courtesy costs not a lot Canal boaters are sometimes referred to as ditchcrawlers. While steering a canal boat there is always plenty of time for thinking or dreaming so the term 'ditchcrawler dreamer' has been in my mind for some time. I decided that this song should try to reflect the more positive aspects of boating. Recorded on :