[Intro]
I have no wife (What? Isn't she lucky!)
I have no wife to bother me life, no lover to prove untrue,
The whole day long I laugh at this song and I'll paddle me own canoe

[Verse]
I've travelled about a bit in me time, of troubles I've seen a few,
I found it far better in every clime to paddle me own canoe,
Wants are small I care not at all, debts are paid when due,
Drive away strife, the ocean of life and paddle me own canoe.

[Chorus]
I have no wife to bother me life, no lover to prove untrue,
The whole day long with a laugh and a song, paddle me own canoe.

[Verse]
It's all very well to depend on a friend, that is if you proved him true,
You'll find it better by far in the end to paddle your own canoe,
To borrow is dearer by far than to buy, a saying though old still true,
You never will sigh if you only will try to paddle your own canoe.

[Chorus]
I have no wife to bother me life, no lover to prove untrue,
The whole day long with a laugh and a song, paddle me own canoe.

[Verse]
Love everybody, trust only the few as the world you go travelling through,
Never sit down with a tear and a frown, but paddle your own canoe,
I rise with the lark from daylight to dark, I do what I have to do,
I'm careless in wealth, I've only me health to paddle me own canoe.

[Chorus]
I have no wife to bother me life, no lover to prove untrue,
The whole day long with a laugh and a song, paddle me own canoe.

[Chorus]
I have no wife to bother me life, no lover to prove untrue,
The whole day long with a laugh and a song, paddle me own canoe.

[Outro]
Ya, di, li, ya,
Ya, di, li, ya,
Ya, di, li, ya,
Ya, di, li, ya.