About this song
Published in 1852 with the lyrics 'Have you ever seen a donkey', the song gained its famous rowing text a few years later. As a round, it teaches singers harmony: start the melody two beats apart and it sings itself.
Play it in MIDI Room
This is a simplified single-line arrangement so you can hear the melody instantly. To play the full piece with a piano roll, multi-track view, tempo control and A/B practice looping, use the main MIDI Player Online tool with your own MIDI file.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play Row, Row, Row Your Boat online in my browser?
Yes. Use the demo player above to hear this public-domain Traditional childhood song melody instantly, or drop your own MIDI file into the MIDI Player Online tool for full piano-roll playback, tempo control and A/B practice looping. Everything runs locally in your browser — no upload, account or install.
Who composed Row, Row, Row Your Boat?
Row, Row, Row Your Boat is Traditional American melody (1852) (Traditional childhood song). It is in the public domain, so it can be freely arranged, performed and used.
What key is Row, Row, Row Your Boat usually played in?
This arrangement is written in C major. The demo above uses that key so you can hear the melody as traditionally performed.
Is a MIDI file version of Row, Row, Row Your Boat available?
Instead of downloading a file, you can hear the melody right here with the built-in player. To practice it, set a slow tempo and use the A/B loop to repeat a section. You can also export or record any MIDI you play from the main MIDI Room player.