Twenty​-​three Camels

from Stirring Up Ghosts Vol 1&2 by Tiller's Folly

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All songs, music & lyrics by Bruce Coughlan (SOCAN) except: The Ballad of John Rae by Bruce Coughlan & Jim Smith (SOCAN)
All tracks produced by Laurence Knight except: Laurence Knight & Steven Drake (15, 23) Joby Baker (4, 21, 24) Bruce Coughlan (6, 14, 20) Mastered & re-mastered by Joby Baker Thank-you to our families, friends and fans for all your support and inspiration!!
Thanks to everyone who contributed to our Kickstarter Stirring Up Ghosts initiative. Special thanks to Rob Armstrong, Katharine Barrett, Bob Chenoweth and the Lexvolds. Special thanks again to Dave & Paula Reed who’s initial contribution made this project possible.

lyrics

TWENTY-THREE CAMELS

Well it came about on a month of May
That 23 Camels sailed away
23 Camels for Douglas sailed
And the road to the Cariboo

Where the Camels came from, no one knew
In the Cariboo in the days of old
From the U.S. Army or old Manchu?
In the Cariboo in the days of gold
From Arizona on a railway crew
In the Cariboo in the days of old
All the way to the Cariboo

But 23 Camels that's a twist
Oh you've never seen such a sight as this
Run like a devil when the camels hiss
On the Road to the Cariboo

"Ships of the Desert" was the camel's fame
In the Cariboo in the days of old
They could carry a half-of-a-ton was claimed
In the Cariboo in the days of gold
Till their feet went tender and they all took lam
In the Cariboo in the days of old
They were auctioned off away

But 23 Camels, that's a sight
Where the donkey brays and the horse takes flight
It's a wonder everybody didn't die of fright
On the road to the Cariboo

They kicked and bit at everything that moved
In the Cariboo in the days of old
They smelled so bad that they scared the mules
In the Cariboo in the days of gold
Causin' so much trouble that the teamsters sued
In the Cariboo in the days of old
Their disruptions to curtail

But 23 Camels, that's a sight
Where the donkey brays and the horse takes flight
It's a wonder everybody didn't die of fright
On the Road to the Cariboo

But 23 Camels that's a twist
Oh you've never seen such a sight as this
Run like a devil when the camels spit
On the Road to the Cariboo

credits

from Stirring Up Ghosts Vol 1&2, released June 1, 2015
Bruce Coughlan – vocals (all tracks) acoustic guitar (2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24) wood flute (1, 5, 10, 13, 14) whistles (1, 5, 14, 20, 24)
Laurence Knight – electric bass (all tracks) vocals (7, 12, 16, 18, 19, 22, 23)
Nolan Murray – fiddle (5, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24) mandolin (4, 5, 6, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24) 5-string banjo (5, 14, 22, 23)
Joby Baker – drums (4, 20, 21, 24) Whurlitzer piano (4) vocals (20)
Ian Cameron – fiddle (1, 11) mandolin (1)
Noel Chalmers – military drum (20)
Aaron Chapman – vocals (14)
John Cowan – vocals (15)
Doug Cox – dobro (21)
Jack Duncan – percussion (1)
Colleen Eccleston – vocals (21)
Bear Erickson – elec. guitar (20) vocals (20)
Geoff Eyre – drums (2, 8, 17)
Tatiana Hancheroff – vocals (17)
Daryl Havers – accordion (3)
Dave Keogh – vocals (14)
Larry Knechtel – Hammond (15)
Craig McGregor – acoustic guitar (7, 10, 13, 17) elec. guitar (3, 17) octave mandolin (8) mandolin (9)
Jim McWilliams – bagpipes (20)
Sandy Marshall – bagpipes (20)
Chris Nordquist – drums (14, 15, 19, 23)
Gord Maxwell – vocals (2, 3, 11, 18, 22)
Aiden O’Brien – uillean pipes & whistles (4) vocals (4)
Paul O’Brien – vocals (4)
Peter Padden – vocals (2)
Eric Reed – elec. guitar (23) mandolin (6, 16) vocals (16)
Phil Robertson – drums (5, 12, 18, 22)
Mike Sanyshyn – fiddle (3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17, 22) mandolin (8, 12, 22)
David Sinclair – elec. guitar (4)
Victor Smith – fiddle (9) whistles (3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13) silver flute (17)
Shawn Soucy – drums (3, 9, 10, 13) percussion (8, 9, 10, 13)
Robbie Steininger – acoustic guitar (1, 5, 22) elec. guitar (18) dobro (18, 22)
Chris Stevens – 5-string banjo (7, 9, 12)
Ed Wagstaff – bagpipes (20)
Valdy – vocals (24)

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Bruce Coughlan Maple Ridge, British Columbia

Pacific Canadian-based recording & performing artist, Bruce Coughlan has spent decades making Acoustic Roots Music Music of all descriptions. An expressive singer and rock-solid guitarist, Bruce is driven by one guiding principle: It's all about the Song. ... more

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