I always wondered about the lyrics to the song. It's good to know other people also like the song and are curious about the lyrics. The Nancy Ames version is probably one of my favorite songs of all time. Totally obscure, but I love it. Your post above mentioning the people from Ghana recognising it as one of their own trad songs with a different rhythm could mean that it originated in Ghana and was "calypsified" in the West Indies before being translated into English.

Cruising Down the River" debuted on The Billboard Best-Selling Popular Retail Records on 26 February 1949, ascending to the summit of #1 on 26 March 1949 and residing at the top for 7 weeks. It also reached #1 on The Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Records on 2 April 1949, spending 6 weeks at the pinnacle whilst remaining on a listing for 22 weeks altogether.

In 1949 "Cruising Down the River" became the first British composition to top The Billboard charts. The best version I ever heard of this long is by Nancy Ames from the album "The Incredible Nancy Ames." I believe this album was released in 1961. Anyway, that is when I first heard it on radio in Guam on a radio show called "Hit Corral.". I bought it on LP in 1963 when I entered college in the US mainland (Dayton, Ohio). I later discovered it on an album by Nina & Frederik. The Nina & Frederik version was later released on a CD of their greatest hits. The Nancy Ames version was never released on a CD. However, I copied most of the songs on that album over to reel to reel tpe, then to CD, then now to MP3. However, there is a little bit of hiss and a few pops in the song since the album was a little bit worn by the time I copied it to tape. I was singing this song in a restaurant in Melbourne in the 1970s. I had learned it from the hit parade during the decade before. A group of customers from Ghana told me it was one of their traditional songs. They said I was singing the English translation and the rhythms were a bit different. They sang it for me as they knew it. Joy Sunflower" appeared on The Billboard Best-Selling Popular Retail Records on 12 March 1949, rising to #10 whilst remaining on a list for 15 weeks, doing best reaching #5 on The Billboard Most-Played Juke Box Records chart.

And thanks to Mr Happy for requesting the words - since transcribing it, I've sung it out twice, with very favourable reception! Cruising Down the River" is a 1946 popular recording song, which became the winner of a public songwriting competition held in the UK. Words and music were entered by two middle-aged women named Eily Beadell and Nell Tollerton. The words had been written by Eily in the 1920s, and the melody composed by music hall artist Ena Dayne; as she could not read music, it was transcribed by Tollerton. It was sung in concert parties throughout the 1930s, mainly by Charles Ray. One of the original early recordings of this song, issued in the UK in January 1946 on the Columbia record label (FB 3180), was by Lou Preager and his Orchestra, with vocals by Paul Rich. This was immensely popular on radio, with record and sheet music sales making it one of the biggest hits of 1946 in the United Kingdom. I really like the Nadia Cattouse version. She sings it with a little bit of an accent, which really enhances the song. Her pacing is slower and more deliberate than the Nancy Ames version, but excellent in its own way. This little concert introduced us to the emerging local folk scene which over the years has given us wonderful times and great friends; all because of Nadia. I've wondered for years where she was and hoped she was well. Those of you who are in touch with her please thank her on our behalf. Forgotten the title or the author of a book? Our BookSleuth is specially designed for you. Visit BookSleuthEna Dayne the Brief Shining of a Music Hall Star.: The Light Cast on the Vink, Pridmore and Charman Families It has been covered numerous times by various artists, including Connie Francis on her 1959 album My Thanks to You. The song had been performed in concert parties throughout the 1930s, principally by Charles Ray. "Cruising Down the River" was first recorded in 1946 by Lou Preager and his Orchestra, with the vocal by Paul Rich. The performance was tremendously popular on radio, with record and sheet music sales making it one of the biggest selling records of 1946 in the United Kingdom.