*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-Volume Three: Songs-"The Coo Coo Bird" — Clarence Ashley (1929)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

"The Coo Coo Bird (Cuckoo)"

Oh the cuckoo she's a pretty bird
She warbles as she flies
She never hollers coo coo till the fourth day
of July

Gonna build me log cabin
On a mountain so high
So I can see Willie as he goes on by

Well I've played cards in Texas
And I've played cards in Maine
Oh I'll bet you five dollars I'll beat you
next game

Jack of Diamonds Jack of Diamonds
Oh I know you of old
You robbed my poor pockets of silver and gold

Rye whiskey, rye whiskey
Oh I know you of old
You robbed my poor pockets of silver and gold

*Sometimes I feel much younger
Sometimes I feel so old
Sometimes the warm sun shines sometimes it's
dreadful cold

Oh the cuckoo she's a pretty bird
How I wish she was mine
She never drinks water she only drinks wine

(repeat first verse)

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"I'm In the Battle Field for My Lord" — Rev. D.C. Rice and His Sanctified Congregation (1929)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Fifty Miles of Elbow Room" — Rev. F.W. McGee (1931)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Shine On Me" — Ernest Phipps and His Holiness Singers (1930)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Little Moses" — The Carter Family (1932)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

LITTLE MOSES
(trad./A. P. Carter)


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Any copyrighted material on these pages is used in "fair use", for the purpose of study, review or critical analysis only, and will be removed at the request of copyright owner(s).
Audio files are DELIBERATELY encoded "low-fi" to enable faster streaming and are intended as "illustrations" and "appetizers" only.
Official and "hi-fi" recordings can (and should) be purchased at your local record dealer or through a number of web-based companies, like CDNow.


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Covered by Dylan
during Mar 5, 1970 "Self Portrait" sessions (credited to Bert A. Williams/Earle C. Jones),
during 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue tour
(a fragment with Dylan on piano, probably dating from Nov 1975 is part of the "Renaldo and Clara" soundtrack),
performed live in 1992 and 1993.
DOWNLOAD & LISTEN to a Bob Dylan live performance
(San José, CA, May 9, 1992) (Real Audio, 444 KB)

Dylan's most likely source is The Carter Family's recording (RCA Studios, Camden, NJ, Feb 14, 1929, included in Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music (track 53) on Folkways, (possibly through Joan Baez's rendition).


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ALAN LOMAX:
Little Moses... belongs to the category of the religious ballad. Such songs were common in the Middle Ages....
Liner notes for "White Spirituals," Atlantic SD-1349.


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LYRICS FROM ORIGINAL CARTER FAMILY RECORDING,
transcribed by Manfred Helfert.



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Away by the river so clear,
The ladies were winding their way,
And Pharaoh's little daughter stepped down in the water
To bathe in the cool of the day.
Before it was dark she opened the ark
And found the sweet infant was there.
And away by the waters so blue,
The infant was lonely and sad.
She took him in pity and thought him so pretty
And it made little Moses so glad.
She called him her own, her beautiful son
And sent for a nurse that was near.

And away by the river so clear,
They carried the beautiful child,
To his own tender mother, his sister and brother,
Little Moses looked happy and smiled.
His mother so good done all that she could
To rear him and teach him with care.

And away by the sea that was red,
Little Moses the servant of God,
While in him confided, the sea was divided,
As upward he lifted his rod.
The Jews safely crossed while Pharaoh's host
Was drownded in the waters and lost.

And away on the mountain so high,
The last one that ever might see,
While in his victorious, his hope was most glorious
He'd soon o'er the Jordan be free.
When his labor did cease, he departed in peace
And rested in the Heavens above.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"John the Revelator" — Blind Willie Johnson (1930)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

Lyrics

The lyrics below are Blind Willie Johnson's version of "John the Revelator" as found in the Anthology of American Folk Music. Subsequent versions feature a variety of substituted verses and different interpretations of Johnson's lyrics, all quoting passages from the Bible, in the tradition of African American spirituals.

[call] Well who's that writin'? [response] John the Revelator[6]
Who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Who's that writin'? John the Revelator
A book of the seven seals[7]
[call] Tell me what's John writin'? [response] Ask the Revelator
What's John writin'? Ask the Revelator
What's John writin'? Ask the Revelator
A book of the seven seals
Well ooh ooh why me, thousands cried holy[8]
Bound for some, Son of our God[9]
Daughter of Zion, Judah the Lion[10]
He redeemeth, and bought us with his blood[11]
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
John the Revelator, great advocator[12]
Get's 'em on the battle of Zion
Lord, tellin' the story, risin' in glory
Cried, "Lord, don't you love some I"
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
Well Moses to Moses, watchin' the flock[13]
Saw the bush where they had to stop[14]
God told Moses, "Pull off your shoes"[15]
Out of the flock, well you I choose[16]
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
These are the lyrics for Son House's 1965 recording version, which explicitly reference three theologically important events: the Fall of Man, the Passion of Christ, and the Resurrection. Roughly similar lyrics, with an additional verse, are used in the movie Blues Brothers 2000.

[call] Who's that writin'? [response] John the Revelator[6]
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals[7]
[call] Who's that writin'? [response] John the Revelator
Tell me who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Well who's that writin'? John the Revelator
Wrote the book of the seven seals
You know God walked down in the cool of the day[17]
Called Adam by his name[18]
But he refused to answer
Because he's naked and ashamed[19]
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
You know Christ had twelve apostles[20]
And three he led away[21]
He said, "Watch with me one hour,[22]
'till I go yonder and pray."
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]
Christ came on Easter morning
Mary and Martha went down to see[23]
He said, "Go tell my disciples[24]
To meet me in Galilee."[25]
[Repeat verses 1 & 2]

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Dry Bones" — Bascom Lamar Lunsford (1929)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"John The Baptist" — Moses Mason (1928)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.


"John Saw That Number"

Old John the baptist, old John divine
Leather harness round his line
His meat was locust and honey
Wild honey lord, wild honey

John saw that number
Way in the middle of the air
Cryin' holy, holy to the Lord

Old John the baptist, old John divine
Frogs and snakes are gonna get John this time
God told the angel "go see about John"
So he flew from the pit with the moon round his waist
Gathered wind in his fists so the stars round his wrists
Cryin' holy, holy to the lord

Read the revelations, you'll find him there
Third chapter, fourth verse where he said unto me
"There's a beast that rose out of the sea"
Ten crowns, ten crowns
On his horns write "blasphemy"
John couldn't read it (John couldn't read it)
Get on repeat it
John couldn't read it
Holy, holy to the Lord

There was a man, a pharisee
Who came by night to meet him
Said "I know thy teacher came from God cause no man can do such miracles
Without the lord to entreat him"
God told the angel "go see about John"
So he flew from the pit with the moon round his waist
Gathered wind in his fists and the stars round his wrists
Cryin' holy, holy to the Lord
Holy, holy to the Lord
Holy, holy to the Lord...

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Since I Laid My Burden Down" — Elders McIntorsh and Edwards' Sanctified Singers (1929)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Since I Laid My Burden Down" — Elders McIntorsh and Edwards' Sanctified Singers (1929)

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"He Got Better Things For You" — Memphis Sanctified Singers (1929)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Judgement" — Sister Mary Nelson (1927)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"This Song of Love" — Middle Georgia Singing Convention No. 1 (1932)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

Sorry on this one.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Present Joys" — Alabama Sacred Harp Singers (1928)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Rocky Road" — Alabama Sacred Harp Singers (1928)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Oh Death Where Is Thy Sting" — Rev. J. M. Gates (1927)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.



Song: Oh Death

A long time ago, Lazarus died
All hope seemed gone as his sisters cried
Jesus walked to where he laid
He called his name and he came out of the grave

Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory?
you thought you had a hold on me but you were wrong, I’ve been set free

Oh, jesus hung on a rugged cross, he gave His life for a world once lost
He lay three days in a borrowed grave but when He came out I could hear Him say

Oh death, where thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory?
You thought you had a hold on me but you were wrong, I’ve been set free

One day I’ll lay this body down, they’ll dress me up and put me in the ground
But when Jesus comes in the sky, just listen close and you’ll hear me cry

Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory?
You thought you had a hold on me but you were wrong, I’ve been set free

Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory?
You thought you had a hold on me but you were wrong, I’ve been set free

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Must Be Born Again" — Rev. J. M. Gates (1927)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

You Must Be Born Again Lyrics

Long ago, I didn't know nothing about Jesus and His love
I had heard about Him, but I had never felt
this manna which comes down from above
In this life of sin I could no longer stand
I asked my mother how do you get to know the man
She said you must be, don't you see you've got to be ....Born again
You must have that fire and Holy Ghost
that Burning churning keeps the prayer wheel turning
The kind of religion you cannot conceal
It makes you move, makes you shout,
Makes you cry when it's real
I've got my hand right in the windin' chain
My souls been anchored in my Jesus' name
I'm filled within, I've free from sin
You know I've been born again
I started to walk, I had a new walk
I started to talk, I had a new talk
I looked at my hands, my hands looked new
I looked at my feet and they did too
I've got my hand right in the windin' chain
My souls been anchored in my Jesus' name
I'm filled within, I've free from sin
You know I've been born again

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Moonshiner's Dance Part One" — Frank Cloutier and the Victoria Cafe Orchestra (1927)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Newport Blues" — Cincinnati Jug Band (1929)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Home Sweet Home" — The Breaux Freres (Clifford Breaux, Ophy Breaux, Amedee Breaux) (1933)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Acadian One Step" — Joseph Falcon (1929)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Saut Crapaud" — Columbus Fruge (1929)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Old Dog Blue" — Jim Jackson (1928)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

"Old Dog Blue"

Had an old doggie and I called him Blue
Listen, I'm gonna' tell you what Blue could do

Well I grabbed my gun and I blowed my horn
I am goin' to catch a possum in the new ground corn

Old Blue's got a possum up in a tree
Well I look up at him, and he looks at me

Well I grabbed my gun and I shot him down
And Old Blue picks up possum and he brings him around

Now Old Blue he's a fine old doggie
And I'm proud as a peacock he belonged to me

But when Old Blue died he died so old, so hard
I dug him a cold grave in my door yard

Well I dug Blue's grave with a silver spade
And I lowered Old Blue down on a link of chain

Now when I get to heaven first thing I'll do
Gonna' grab my old bugle and call up Blue

Come on Blue, Come on boy... I'm home

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Old Country Stomp" — Henry Thomas (1928)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Indian War Whoop" — Floyd Ming and his Pep-Steppers (1928)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Brilliancy Medley" — Eck Robertson and Family (1930)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

Eck Robertson Bio From Old Time Fiddlers Hall Of Fame
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Eck Robertson was one of the most noteworthy fiddlers I have run across, because there is so much incredible history surrounding a man whose fiddling almost transcended the Old-Time style. Eck was an accomplished talent, and played many parts of his tunes in second or third position, a convention much more common to Classical style playing than Old-Time. Eck is also credited with being the first recorded country artist (see below).

We are also fortunate that Eck was around and still in fine fiddling form during the folk revival in the 1960s and 70s. The following article came from the LP liner notes of County 202 - Eck Robertson, Famous Cowboy Fiddler:



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Eck Robertson's musical career spanned eight decades. He was an accomplished musician by the turn of the century and entered the ranks of the professional entertainer by 1910. He was easy with a joke, quick to tell a funny story and confident of his ability as a fiddler. He was never content to simply play the old tunes repetitiously; he always experimented and expanded the boundaries of his musical tradition, but he never strayed too far from the core.

Eck, as evidenced by his repertoire and fiddling style, was firmly established within the larger tradition of late 19th century southern fiddling. Although he helped establish what is today called the "Texas style" of fiddling, his musical heritage and influence extended well beyond the southwest.

[The sound sample included here exhibits a mere snippet of Eck's phenomenal mastery of the fiddle.]

Eck Robertson was, first and foremost, one of America's great folk fiddlers. And through his music and his history a great deal can be learned about the folk tradition of fiddle playing, and the historic and cultural matrix within which it flourished.

Eck Robertson is famous as the first person to record a commercial country music record. This he did, in company with fellow fiddler Henry C. Gilliland, on June 30 and July 1,1922, for the Victor Talking Machine Company in their New York studios. Eck and Gilliland, a Civil War veteran from Altus, Oklahoma, after entertaining veterans at the 1922 Old Confederate Soldiers' Reunion in Richmond, Virginia, decided to go to New York for the express purpose of making records. Gilliland, a former justice of the peace, knew an influential lawyer there named Martin W. Littleton. After their first night in New York, the two men stayed with Littleton who provided them with grand tours of the city, including a visit to the Steinway piano factory, a visit Eck remembered fondly forty years later. The image of Gilliland and Eck touring New York, attired respectively in full dress Confederate uniform and flashy western "regalia" (satin fuchsia shirt with pearl studs, wide-brimmed black hat, leather cuffs and pants tucked into high-topped boots) and undoubtedly carrying fiddle cases, would be striking even today.

Just how much influence Littleton exerted to get the two fiddlers an audition for Victor is not known, but Littleton did, on occasion, do legal work for the company. Eck recalled that Littleton's "lawyer" first introduced he and Gilliland to the Victor people and that when he first appeared for an audition, the Victor manager insisted he take out his violin right then and there:

[In Eck's words:] "You couldn't fool that man was running the shop in the Victor office...But then he come at me, he just come into the room in a hurry with a long piece of paper with names on it. He done that on purpose, you see, thought he'd get rid of me just like he had all the rest of them. He said `Young man, get your fiddle out and start off on a tune.' Said `I can tell that quick whether I can use you or not.' Well, I said back to him just as honest as I could `Mister, I come a long ways to get an audition with you. Maybe I better wait and come back another time. You seem like you're in an awful hurry.' `No,' he said, `Just start off a tune...' Well, I didn't get to play half of Sallie Gooden; he just throwed up his hands and stopped me. Said, `By Ned, that's fine!' And just smiled, you know. Said, `Come back in the morning at nine o'clock and we'll make a test record."

And he did.

Eck and Gilliland recorded "Arkansas Traveler"and "Turkey in the Straw''on June 30th,with Gilliland playing the melody and Eck a high harmony. The next day Eck returned alone, this time recording "Sallie Gooden" and "Ragtime Annie" solo, and two additional tunes accompanied by a studio piano player. Two tunes from these sessions, "Sallie Gooden" and "Arkansas Traveler," were released in April, 1923, thus becoming the first commercial record ever released by a country musician. Eck stayed in New York ten days, finally returning home to Vernon, Texas, full of memories and stories.

It was seven years before Eck recorded again, this time in Dallas with his family band. Most historical accounts about Eck Robertson stop after this as if he and his music ceased to exist beyond 1929. However, such was certainly not the case.

Eck promoted himself heavily as the "World's Famous Cowboy Fiddler, Victor Record and Radio Artist" during this time, and advertised the family band as "A Novelty Musical Program Playing Old Time Melodies, Trick and Stunt Fiddling, Singing and Dancing," and promised, "If You Don't Laugh, We Will Call the Doctor!."

Eck had two special tricks he did while fiddling. One was the "normal" trick fiddling; tossing the fiddle or the bow in the air, catching it and not missing a beat, playing behind the back, fiddling while "laying down on the stage and doing somersets" and so forth. He played the tune "Pop Goes the Weasel" for this performance. His other trick was to make his fiddle talk. On many show flyers he asked the question, "Have you ever heard a fiddle talk?" He remembered:

"I used to do it on the stage in theaters and take the house down. I offered a dollar to any child in the house who didn't understand what the violin said...And I made that dad-gummed fiddle talk just as plain as anybody could have said the words...I generally wind up on that by playing Sallie Gooden. I'd wind up on the last of it by making that fiddle talk, representing Sallie Gooden going to the cowpen to milk the cow. You'd hear her calling the calves, and then you'd hear the calf bawl. About that time her baby woke up and began to holler `mamma oh mamma. I want my mamma!' And just say it as plain as anybody could."

Eck explained this trick to an incredulous Mike Seeger:

"Got to put an attachment in my mouth there. To touch the bridge of the fiddle with a piece of steel...Well, you just put that piece of steel in your mouth. It's just like a cigar, about as long as a cigar...You can take a pocket knife even, put it in your mouth; right shaped pocket knife, and do it, too. Anything that will kill the tone of the violin. You touch the bridge at intervals, and know how to pull the bow across the strings to make it do that."

Eck apparently learned this trick from a classical violinist he met during his medicine show travels. The family band disbanded around the beginning of World War II and shortly before Dueron [Eck's son], was killed, Eck and Nettie (who was working at the Pantex ordinance plant in Amarillo) separated. Eck never remarried.

The next two decades, through the 1950s and until his rediscovery by old-time music enthusiasts and folklorists in the early-1960s, were fairly dry years musically for Eck and the family. Eck continued to tune pianos for the Tolzien Music Company in Amarillo, and to repair and rebuild fiddles and other stringed instruments in his home shop. He was occasionally featured as a special guest at the fiddle contests that were sprouting throughout Texas. The brochure advertising the "Hale Center 4th of July Homecoming Celebration with All-American Fiddlers Contest" (ca .1963) proclaims: "The best fiddlers come from the country where folks scratch themselves for entertainment and aren't ashamed of it!" and "There's nothing more American than Fiddle Music." The flyer also features a photo of Eck Robertson with the following caption:

"Eck Robertson of Amarillo, who started fiddling when he was five years old is one of the most colorful performers in the All-American Fiddlers Contest at Hale Center. He has won top honors in the old fiddlers division of the contest several times. Two generations ago Eck, a recording star, was one of the most popular country musicians in the country."

By the 1960s, Eck was relegated to the role of elder statesman, special guest and pioneer recording artist. The family was gone and popular venues for either old-time fiddling or vaudeville style entertainment were scarce. When Mike Seeger, John Cohen and Tracy Schwarz visited Eck in 1963, he was seventy-six years old. The next year he performed at the UCLA Folk Festival, and in 1965 he appeared at the Newport Folk Festival. Even then he was still plenty able to charm an audience with his music and talk.

Eck's last few years were hard on both him and his family. After his house and shop in Amarillo nearly burned to the ground, Eck moved into a rest home. While there, his favorite fiddle, a Steiner he rebuilt, was stolen. He apparently received comfort from just holding a fiddle, because he was never without one, even in his last days. But having his fiddle stolen caused him to take precautions. Doyle Davis remembers:

"He took the neck out of an old fiddle, switched everything around and put the neck in the big end, the back end. That's all he had left at that rest home. And he would walk around with that old thing under his arm all the time"

Beulah [Davis] continues:

"...I remember the last time [we saw Eck]...We took this County Sales record that had dad's tunes and we played them for those old people in the nursing home that day."

And Doyle concludes:

"...Eck wanted to know - we had one of his tunes, I don't know if it was Wagoner or what - he wanted to know `Who's that fellow playing the fiddle?' Beulah told him `Why, that's you.' `I never played a tune that fast in my life,' he said."

Eck Robertson died February 15,1975 at the age of eighty-eight. Inscribed on his tombstone in Fritch, Texas, is the epitaph "World's Champion Fiddler."

—Blanton Owen, Virginia City, Nevada

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Georgia Stomp" — Andrew & Jim Baxter (1929)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"La Danseuse" — Delma Lachney and Blind Uncle Gaspard (1929)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

"La Danseuse Est Créole"

Au bistrot des Trois Capitaines
La patronne est Napolitaine
Et l'homme est Péruvien
En Pologne naquit la bonneLe pianiste vient de Lisbonne
Pourtant je vous préviens
Voilà surtout pourquoi l'on vient{Refrain:
}La danseuse est Créole
Et dessinant ses pasSa robe tourne et vole
Au tempo de la rumbaSa taille se renverse
Se relève aussitôt
On dirait une liane
Que berce un souffle de vent chaud.
Son petit pied se pose ici
Son petit pied se pose là
Comme un furet qui passe et court
C'est un sourire à celui-ci
C'est un clin d'œil à celui-là
Vous êtes pris à votre tour.
La danseuse est Créole
Oui mais on ne sait pas
Si la belle est fidèle ou frivole
Et pour qui son cœur bat.
Son public est un vrai mélange
De marins aux visages étranges
Et de mauvais garçons
Quand parfois les clients se battent
Quand soudain la bagarre éclate
On dit c'est la boisson
Mais on sait bien l'autre raison{au Refrain}
Croyez-moi sur paroleAu lieu d'entrer demain
Au bar où la danseuse est CréolePassez votre chemin !

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Wake Up Jacob" — Prince Albert Hunt's Texas Ramblers (1929)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

Wake Up, Jacob - Lyrics & Chords
Cowboy's Gettin' Up Holler


C Am
Wake up, Jacob, day's a-breakin',
C G7 C
Peas in the pot and hoe-cake's bakin'.

Bacon's in the pan and coffee's in the pot,
Come on round and get it while it's hot.


Early in the morning, almost day,
If you don't come soon, gonna throw it all away.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"The Wild Wagoner" — Jilson Setters (1928)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

THE OLD, WEIRD AMERICA Blog

My exploration of Harry Smith’s Anthology29 “The Wild Wagoner” by J.W Day (Jilson Setters)

J.W Day’s World

“In a windowless cabin, hidden away in a high cranny of the Kentucky mountains, lived Jilson Setters, who, for all his sixty-five years, had never seen a railroad. Neither had he heard a phonograph nor a radio. His home-made fiddle and his ‘ballets’ were good enough for Jilson Setters and mountain folk.”

from: “The Last Minstrel” by Jean Thomas, The English Journal, December, 1928


The story around Kentucky old-time fiddler James W. Day is an interesting case of mystified folkore. Born in 1861 in Rowan County, Kentucky, J.W Day was a blind fiddler and singer, often living as a beggar musician in the small towns around Kentucky. At the end of the twenties, a young woman interested in folklore named Jean Thomas “discovered” him as she was collecting songs and stories in Kentucky. Fascinated by the way mountain people preserved traditions of the British Isles, notably the singing of the old ballads, Thomas created the “American Folk Song Festival” to present authentic perfomers of mountain music. The feestival was held every year in Kentucky from 1930 to 1972. When she met J.W Day, she had the idea to present him as the archetype mountain fiddler,”The singin fiddler of Lost Hope Hollow” (Title of the book she wrote about him) and she built a whole story , part true, part purely her own fantasy, to promote him and his music around the country. Under the name of “Jilson Setters”, she arranged for Day concerts and recording sessions and she even took him to play before the King of England. We don’t know how Day himself reacted to all this fuss around him, as on the pictures Thomas took of him, he looked like a dignified old country man, surely proud of the venerable old tunes he could play on his fiddle, but also had to make a living, be an entertainer, the only way to survive for a blind musician during those years… His fiddle style was very unique also, as he was left-handed but played without re-stringing his instrument, with the strings upside down.. Like Elizabeth Cotten on the guitar, it gave him a unique style that is hard to duplicate. He recorded for the Victor Record Company and also for The Library Of Congress in 1930.

-Go here (Wikipedia page) to read more about Jean Thomas (she was nicknamed “The Traipsin’ Woman”) and the American Folk Song Festival

-On this page, you can browse the beautiful collection of photographs she took in the mountains, and among them, many of J.W Day

-I’ve compiled all the sides i have by J.W Day including two sides recorded for the Library of Congress (very noisy, you’ll be warned)

1.The Wild Wagoner


2.Grand Hornpipe

3.Forked Deer

4.Way Up On Clinch Mountain

5.Black-eyed Suzie

6.The Arkansaw Traveler

7.Little Boy Working On The Road

8.No Corn on Tigert (LOC recording)

9.Dr Humphrey’s Jig(LOC recording)

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-Volume Two: Social music-"Sail Away Lady" — "Uncle Bunt" Stephens (1926)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

Traditional Arr. by Roger McGuinn
©1999 McGuinn Music
Album: "Treasures From The Folk Den" - 2001 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ain't no use to sit and cry
Sail away lady sail away
You'll be an angel bye and bye
Sail away lady sail away

Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de -O

Well I've got a home in Tennessee
Sail away lady sail away
That is where I'd rather be
Sail away lady sail away

Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O

Now come along boys and go with me
Sail away lady sail away
We'll go down to Tennessee
Sail away lady sail away

Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O

Whenever I get my new house done
Sail away lady sail away
Love you pretty girls one by one
Sail away lady sail away

Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O

Hush little baby don't you cry
Sail away lady sail away
You'll be an angel bye and bye
Sail away lady sail away

Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O

Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O
Don't you rock 'im die - de - O

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Got the Farm Land Blues" — The Carolina Tar Heels (1932)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

THE OLD, WEIRD AMERICA

My exploration of Harry Smith’s Anthology27 “Got The Farmland Blues” by The Carolina Tar Heels

The Carolina Tar Heels World (part 2)

Here’s more Carolina Tar Heels tracks for you… I already introduced the band on my “Peg’n Awl” post a few months ago…The sound on some track is pretty bad but i hope you’ll enjoy nevertheless…

TRACK LIST

1.Farm Girl Blues


2.I don’t like the Blues no how

3.The Apron String Blues

4.Somebody’s tall and handsome

5.Rude and Rambling Man

6.My home’s across the Blueridge mountains

7.Roll on Daddy roll on

8.Her Name was Hula Lou

9.Going to Georgia

10.Bring me a leaf from the sea

11.You’re a little too small

12.Got the farmland Blues

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Mississippi Boweavil Blues" — The Masked Marvel (1929)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

THE OLD, WEIRD AMERICA

My exploration of Harry Smith’s Anthology26 “Mississippi Boweavil Blues” by Charley Patton (The Masked Marvel)

Charley Patton’s World

Charley (or Charlie) Patton is considered by many the most important bluesman of all times, the father of the “Delta Blues”, which is a genre that most people see as the “real, deep Blues”. Raised near the famous Dockery Plantation, a big cotton and sawmill plantation and the “mythical” birthplace of the Blues, Patton learned his skills with Henry Sloan, an older Bluesman born in 1870. His powerful guitar playing and vocals influenced all the other musicians around him, including Willie Brown, Tommy Johnson, Son House and the younger Robert Johnson would learn to play the Blues from them. Patton was very popular in all the South and he was a real showman on stage, making tricks like playing the guitar behind his head or his back, interspreading different vocal comments during his songs. His erratic life, his inclinations toward booze and women and his short life also contributed to make him a “Blues” icon.

Like for Robert Johnson, the label “Delta Blues” is quite limiting the range of their music. The repertoire of Patton (and Johnson) included a broader range of popular music, religious songs and pieces that came from the white tradition and they could includes them along with their “Blues” to please different audiences. The fact is that we see them today as genuine folk musicians rather than “entertainers” is due in part to the romantized and almost mystical way they were described by white Blues lovers and writers. He recorded more than 60 sides during his rather short career, some with other musicians, some with a female vocalist, but a large part of his recordings he plays alone with his guitar. His unique spontaneous style and incredible timing combined with percussive effects on the guitar, vocal eccenticities made some of this sides, the most passionate pieces of music ever recorded.

-Go to this wikipedia page for a more complete biography and a list of his recordings

-Go here to see Robert Crumb’s cartoon biography

-Music writer and musician Elijah Wald, who wrote a very interesting book about Robert Johnson (“Escaping the Delta”), wrote also a superb essay about Patton, where he tries to picture the musician in “context”, escaping the romanced and mythical proses so common about Blues icons.

-Really appropriate to this post i found this article by Robert K.D Peterson: “Charley Patton and his Mississippi Boweavil Blues”

-There are two books dedicated entirely to the life and music of Charley patton:one by guitar player John Fahey and the other by Stephen Calt and Gayle Wardlow.There are both out-of-print but you can maybe find them by doing a research on the net.

-You can have the Fahey book by buying the box-set he issued on his Revenant label along with 7 cds and a booklet. It’s pricey but a must-have for the real fan.

-Those with a low budget can nevertheless have Patton’s complete recordings with this JSP box-set or with excellent compilations issued by Yazoo records

-From my part, i offer you the 14 sides Patton recorded for his first session in Richmond in 1929:

Pony Blues
A Spoonful Blues
Down The Dirt Road Blues
Prayer Of Death, Pt. 1
Prayer Of Death, Pt. 1
Screamin’ & Hollerin’ The Blues
Banty Rooster Blues
Tom Rushen Blues
It Won’t Be Long
Shake It & Break It (But Don’t Let It Fall Mama)
Pea Vine Blues
Mississippi Boweavil Blues
Lord I’m Discouraged
I’m Goin’ Home

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Down On Penny's Farm" — The Bently Boys (1929)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

"Down On Penny's Farm" — The Bently Boys (1929)

DOWN ON PENNY'S FARM
(trad.)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Any copyrighted material on these pages is used in "fair use", for the purpose of study, review or critical analysis only, and will be removed at the request of copyright owner(s).

Likely inspiration for Dylan's "Hard Times in New York Town".
LISTEN TO BOB DYLAN'S SONG (EXCERPT) at
Likely source: Anthology of American Folk Music" (compiled by Harry Smith), by The Bently Boys (track No. 25).
Bascom Lamar Lunsford version, transcribed in Tom Glazer, Songs of Peace, Freedom & Protest, New York, 1972, pp. 90-92.

TOM GLAZER:
Also known as "Robert's Farm." Bascom Lamar Lunsford, the Southern folklorist, says he learned it from a Claude Reeves of North Carolina, who claims he wrote it on personal experience around 1935.
(ibid., p. 90)

Claude Reeves' claim is contradicted by the recording date of the Bently Boys' version (original issue: Columbia 15565D), 1929. Harry Smith also remarks in his liner notes:
This recording is a regionalized recasting of an earlier song, "Hard Times."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Come you ladies and you gentlemen
And listen to my song,
I'll sing it to you right, but you might think it's wrong,
May make you mad, but I mean no harm,
It's all about the renters on Penny's farm.
CHORUS:
It's hard times in the country,
Down on Penny's farm.
Now you move out on Penny's farm,
Plant a little crop of 'bacco and a little crop of corn,
He'll come around to plan and plot,
Till he gets himself a mortgage
On everything you got.
You go to the fields
And you work all day,
Till way after dark, but you get no pay,
Promise you meat or a little lard,
It's hard to be a renter on Penny's farm.

Now here's George Penny come into town,
With his wagon-load of peaches, not one of them sound,
He's got to have his money or somebody's check,
You pay him for a bushel,
And you don't get a peck.

Then George Penny's renters, they come into town,
With their hands in their pockets, and their heads hanging down,
Go in the store and the merchant will say:
"Your mortgage is due
And I'm looking for my pay."

Goes down in his pocket with a trembling hand --
"Can't pay you all but I'll pay you what I can."
Then to the telephone the merchant makes a call,
"They'll put you on the chain gang
If you don't pay it all."

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Kassie Jones" — Furry Lewis (1928)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

THE OLD, WEIRD AMERICA

My exploration of Harry Smith’s Anthology24 “Kassie Jones” by Furry Lewis

Furry Lewis’s World

Walter “Furry” Lewis, born in Greenwood, Mississippi in 1893 was a superb country blues singer and a versatile guitar player with a relaxed and sponatenous style. He spent most of his life in the city of Memphis, Tennessee, which was a rich musical center for african-americans in the first decades of the 20th century. He learned his skills on the road with medecine shows, on mississippi riverboats, streets and clubs, playing music with W.C Handy’s orchestra, but settled down in Memphis after loosing one leg as he was hopping a train. On Beale street he would meet and play with many fine Memphis musicians like Gus Cannon,members of the Memphis Jug Band, Jim Jackson etc…He recorded more than 20 sides between 1927 and 1929 but as the Depression put a stop to record sales, he returned to work as a street sweeper around Beale Street. Like Mississippi John Hurt, he had a “second career” in the sixties, thanks to the “Anthology” and the Folk/Blues revival. It was Samuel Charters, the great music researcher and writer, that found him and record him first a the end of the Fifties.When Charters first met with Furry, he hadn’t play music for more than 20 years and dind’t even own a guitar. But when the “Blues” is in you, it stays forever and when he returned to play, his natural talent for playing and singing the Blues was unchanged, maybe he was a little bit slower on the guitar but his music gained in emotion and power with age. He would fingerpick or play with a bottleneck, depending on his mood and the song, the music flowing from him, in a natural and almost improvisationnal way.He became a prominent figure on the Blues and Folk festivals, made numerous new recordings,opened shows for the Rolling Stones and other rock stars and was the only country blues singer of his generation gaining popular attention, without changing his repertoire, deeply rooted in the african-american tradition of rags and blues. He died in 1981, at the age of 88.

-For more details on his biography, go here or here

-For a complete discography, go here

-To read a fine article (in pdf format) Playboy magazine made on Furry in 1970, click here

-Here are the 25 sides he recorded at the end of the 1920’s for the Vocalion and Victor record companies. Be sure to check the other recordings Furry made in the 60’s and 70’s for various labels. (Many are available on cd format)

01 - Everybody`s blues

02 - Mr. Furry`s blues
03 - Sweet papa moan
04 - Rock Island blues
05 - Jelly roll
06 - Billy Lyons and Stack O`Lee
07 - Good looking girl blues
08 - Why don`t you come home blues?
09 - Falling down blues
10 - Big chief blues
11 - Mean old bedbug blues
12 - Furry`s blues
13 - I will turn your money green (tk. 1)
14 - I will turn your money green (tk. 2)
15 - Mistreatin` mama
16 - Dry land blues
17 - Cannon ball blues
18 - Kassie Jones – part 1
19 - Kassie Jones – part 2
20 - Judge Harsh blues (tk. 1)
21 - Judge Harsh blues (tk. 2)
22 - John Henry (The steel driving man) -1
23 - John Henry (The steel driving man) -2
24 - Black gypsy blues
25 - Creeper`s blues

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Engine 143" — The Carter Family (1927)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

"Engine 143"

Along came the F15 the swiftest on the line
Running o'er the C&O road just twenty minutes behind
Running into Cevile head porters on the line
Receiving their strict orders from a station just behind

Georgie's mother came to him with a bucket on her arm
Saying my darling son be careful how you run
For many a man has lost his life in trying to make lost time
And if you run your engine right you'll get there just on time

Up the road he darted against the rocks he crushed
Upside down the engine turned and Georgie's breast did smash
His head was against the firebox door the flames are rolling high
I'm glad I was born for an engineer to die on the C&O road

The doctor said to Georgie my darling boy be still
Your life may yet be saved if it is God's blessed will
Oh no said George that will not do I want to die so free
I want to die for the engine I love one hundred and forty three

The doctor said to Georgie your life cannot be saved
Murdered upon a railroad and laid in a lonesome grave
His face was covered up with blood his eyes they could not see
And the very last words poor Georgie said was nearer my God to t

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"When That Great Ship Went Down" — William & Versey Smith (1927)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

When That Great Ship Went Down

Any copyrighted material on these pages is used in "fair use", for the purpose of study, review or critical analysis only, and will be removed at the request of copyright owner(s).



Check out VERNON DALHART's and LESLEY RIDDLE's variants of the same song.


Date: Wed, 11 Mar 1998 13:44:28 -0500
Organization: University of Georgia Chemistry Department


Manfred,
It surprises me that your Titanic songs don't include a representative of the one most commonly sung here in the U.S. Here is one, as printed in D. T. Cain, Westminster, SC, Songs for Revival Services (no publisher, no date). Internal evidence suggests publication during WWI: a song (LEAVING MOTHER FOR WAR) includes the following lines:
How it grieves your loving Mother
When her boy must go away;
May you ne'er forget her counsel,
Though in France you long must stay.
Here it is.
Info and lyrics kindly provided by John Garst garst@sunchem.chem.uga.edu



It was on one Monday morning,
About one o'clock,
When the great Titanic
Began to reel and rock.
People began to scream and cry,
Saying, Lord, I'm going to die.
It was sad when that great ship went down.

CHORUS:
It was sad when that great ship went down --
Husbands and wives
And children lost their lives.
It was sad when that great ship went down.
When the ship first left England
And was making for the shore,
The rich declared they would not
Ride with the poor.
So they put the poor below,
They were the first who had to go.
It was sad when that great ship went down.
When they were building,
They said what they would do,
They would build a ship
That the water couldn't break through.
But the Lord in power and hand
Showed the world it could not stand.
It was sad when that great ship went down.

When Paul was sailing
With men all around,
The Lord who sits in Heaven
Said no man should be drowned.
If they'd trust and obey
He would save them today.
It was sad when that great ship went down.

There were people on the ship,
And a long ways from home,
With friends all around them who
Did not know their time had come.
Old Death he came riding by,
Sixteen hundred had to die.
It was sad when that great ship went down.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-Volume One-Ballads-"Henry Lee" — Dick Justice (1932)

Click on the title to link to a presentation by the artist or of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.


"Henry Lee"

Get down get down little Henry Lee
And stay all night with me
The very best lodging I can afford
Will be far better with thee

I can't get down I won't get down
And stay all night with thee
For the girl I have in that merry green land
I love far better than thee

She leaned herself against the fence
Just for a kiss or two
With a little pen knife held in her hand
She plugged him through and through

Come all you ladies in the town
A secret for me keep
With a diamond ring held on my hand
I'll never will forsake

Some take him by his lily white hand
Some take him by his feet
We'll throw him in this deep deep well
More than one hundred feet

Lie there lie there loving Henry Lee
Till the flesh drops from your bones
The girl you have in that merry green land
Still waits for your return

Fly down fly down you little bird
And alight on my right knee
Your cage will be the purest gold
In deed of property

I can't fly down I won't fly down
And alight on your right knee
A girl would murder her own true love
Would kill a little bird like me

If I had my bended bow
My arrow and my sling
I'd pierce a dart so nigh your heart
Your warble would be in vain

If you had your bended bow
Your arrow and your sling
I'd fly away to the merry green land
And tell what I have seen

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Frankie" — Mississippi John Hurt (1928)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

Frankie and Johnnie

Frankie and Johnnie were lovers,
Oh, Lordie how they could love!
They swore to be true to each other,
Just as true as the stars above,
He was her man, but he done her wrong.

Frankie and Johnnie went walking
John in his brand new suit.
Then, "oh good Lawd," says Frankie
"Don't my Johnnie look real cute!"
He was her man, but he done her wrong.

Frankie she was a good woman,
And Johnnie was a good man,
And every dollar that she made
Went right into Johnnie's hand,
He was her man, but he done her wrong.
Frankie went down tn the corner,
Just for a bucket of beer.
She said to the fat bartender,
"Has my lovinest man been here7"
He was her man, but he done her wrong.

"I don't want to cause you no trouble,
I don't want to tell you no lie;
But I saw your man an hour ago
With a gal named Alice Bly,
And if he's your man, he's a-doing you wrong."

Frankie looked over the transom,
And found, to her great surprise,
That there on the bed sat Johnnie,
A-lovin' up Alice Bly.
He was her man, but he done her wrong.

Frankie drew back her kimono;
She took out her little forty-four;
Root-a-toot-toot, three times she shot
Right through that hardwood floor,
She shot her man, 'cause he done her wrong.

Roll me over easy,
Roll me over slow,
Roll me on de right side,
'Cause de bullet hurt me so.
I was her man, but I done her wrong.

The judge said to the jury
"It's as plain as plain can be
This woman shot her lover
It's murder in the second degree
He was her man, though he done her wrong.
This story has no moral
This story has no end
This story only goes to show
That there ain't no good in men
They'll do you wrong, just as sure as you're born

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"White House Blues" — Charlie Poole w/ North Carolina Ramblers (1926)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

Song: White House Blues

McKinley hollered , McKinley squalled
Doc said A“McKinley I can't find the cause
You're bound to die, you're bound to die

Doc told the horse, he'd throw down his rein
He said to the horse you gotta outrun this train
From Buffalo to Washington

The doc came a-running, he took off his specs
Said A“Mr Mckinley better cash in your checks
You've bound to die, you're bound to die

Look here, you rascal, you see what you've done
Shot down my husband and I've got your gun
I'm carrying you back, to Washington

Well, Roosevelt's in the White House, doing his best
McKinley's in the graveyard taking his rest
He's gone, for a long time

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Stackalee" — Frank Hutchison (1927)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.


Stack A Lee

Hawlin Alley on a dark and drizzly night,
Billy Lyons and Stack-A-Lee had one terrible fight.
All about that John B. Stetson hat.

Stack-A-Lee walked to the bar-room, and he called for a glass of beer,
Turned around to Billy Lyons, said, "What are you doin' here?"
"Waitin' for a train, please bring my woman home.

"Stack-A-Lee, oh Stack-A-Lee. please don't take my life.
Got three little children and a-weepin', lovin' wife.
You're a bad man, bad man, Stack-A-Lee."

"God bless your children and I'll take care of your wife.
You stole my John B., now I'm bound to take your life."
All about that John B. Stetson hat.

Stack-A-Lee turned to Billy Lyons and he shot him right through the head,
Only taking one shot to kill Billy Lyons dead.
All about that John B. Stetson hat.

Sent for the doctor, well the doctor he did come,
Just pointed out Stack-A-Lee, said, "Now what have you done?"
You're a bad man, bad man, Stack-A-Lee."

Six big horses and a rubber-tired hack,
Taking him to the cemetery, buy they failed to bring him back.
All about that John B. Stetson hat.

Hawlin Alley, thought I heard the bulldogs bark.
It must have been old Stack-A-Lee stumbling in the dark.
He's a bad man, gonna land him right back in jail.

High police walked on to Stack-A-Lee, he was lying fast asleep.
High police walked on to Stack-A-Lee, and he jumped forty feet.
He's a bad man, gonna land him right back in jail.

Well they got old Stack-A-Lee and they laid him right back in jail.
Couldn't get a man around to go Stack-A Lee's bail
All about that John B. Stetson hat.

Stack-A-Lee turned to the jailer, he said, "Jailer, I can't sleep.
'Round my bedside Billy Lyons began to creep."
All about that John B. Stetson hat.

Copyright ©1993 Special Rider Music

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Gonna Die With My Hammer In My Hand" — Wiliamson Brothers and Curry (1927)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

THE OLD, WEIRD AMERICA

My exploration of Harry Smith’s Anthology18 “Gonna die with my hammer in my hand” by

The Williamson Brothers & Curry

The Williamson Brothers & Curry’s World

Arnold (fiddle) and Irving (guitar) Williamson were from Logan County, West Virginia, like two other Anthology artists Frank Hutchinson and close neighbour Dick Justice. They recorded a few sides in the twenties for Okeh with a banjo player named Curry (I’m pretty sure he didn’t played a five-string on this records but something like a uke-banjo or tenor). Judging by the six sides we know, they were an old-timey dance act and it’s too bad they didn’t record more because they were on of the best ever recorded in this genre. Their version of “John Henry” is, in my opinion, one of the greatest version of the song too. One can feel a strong influence of black music on all this West-Virginian musicians, in a very obvious way with Hutchinson and Justice who sang many Blues songs but also with the wild square-dance music of The Williamson Brothers.

-TRACK LIST:

1.Warfield


2.Cumberland Gap

3.The Fun’s All Over

4.Lonesome Road Blues

5.The Old Arm Chair

6.Gonna Die With My Hammer in My Hand



The John Henry Variations
”John Henry” is the most famous american folksong of all time , one of the most recorded too by musicians of all kind and it took me a long time to select my favorite versions among the hundreds recorded. After a closer look at my personnal collection of cds and lps in search of “john Henry” tracks, i completed with things found on Emusic and on the folk collections available on the internet (Max Hunter’s collection, Digital Library of Appalachia). I ended up with 100 performances coming from all the important folk and vernacular genres of 20th century America; From work songs to Blues, Old-time string band to Bluegrass, folk to jazz, etc… Black and white traditionnal music are equally represented, as the figure of John Henry and his impact on the american mind knows no boundaries of race. I think the popularity of “John Henry” is not only due to the story it tells but most important how it tells it, which melody carries the tale of this heroic man. This tune is the quintessential american melody, full of pulse and rhythm, going back and forth between the high and low notes, from a scream to a whisper… Among the many different instruments used for singing “John Henry”, the guitar used with a bottleneck to slide on the strings is the most appropriate (and one of the most widespread among blues guitarist) to render the “blue” notes and the whailing quality of the melody. The root of its pentatonic scale and syncopated rhythm is obviously an african one and was carried here by the vocal and instrumental genius of the african-american slaves that built the land. An important part of the “vitality” of american vernacular music is in fact due to known and unknown african-american musicians, who influenced white folk musicians, most strongly in the South, and left their mark on all popular music ever since.

-Lots of things have been written about John Henry and the song about him, so much that it would be too long for me and above my capacities to write down for you all this informations here. Instead i’ll give a few links that will help you explore the John Henry’s myth.

- First, there’s this great website dedicated entirely to the subject that summarize every aspect of the legend and gives a bibliography, a short discography and some different lyrics versions.

-The Wikipedia page about John Henry

-I also recommand a book about the railroad in american folksongs written by Norm Cohen called “The long,steel rail”. The chapter about “John Henry” is really excellent.

-I classified the 100 tracks under a few categories but i recommand that once you’ve downloaded the entire set to mix them as you want, make your personnal favorite list and most important have a fun and enjoyable listening experience

Part 1: Field Recordings & 78rpm records
1.Anonymous prisoners, from “Alan Lomax’s Prison Songs Vol.2: Don’tcha Hear Poor Mother Calling?”


2.Arthur Bell, from “Afro-American Spirituals,worksongs and ballads”

3.Rich Amerson, from “Negro Folk Music of Alabama, Vol. 3″

4.Willie Turner, from “Negro Folk Music of Alabama, Vol. 6″

5.Ed Lewis, from “Southern Journey Vol. 5: Bad Man Ballads – Songs of Outlaws and Desperadoes”

6.Guitar Welch, Hogman Maxey, & Robert Pete Williams, from “Angola Prison Worksongs”

7.Blind John Davis, from “Field Recordings Vol. 2: North & South Carolina, Georgia…”

8.Reese Crenshaw, from “Field Recordings Vol. 2: North & South Carolina, Georgia…”

9.Leadbelly, from “Lead Belly’s Last Sessions”

10.”John Henry Blues”, Fiddlin’ John Carson, from “Vol. 1 (1923-1924) – Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order”

11.”Gonna Die With My Hammer in My Hand Curry”,The Williamson Brothers, from the Anthology

12.”John Henry Blues”, Two Poor Boys, from “American Primitive – Volume 2 – Pre-war Revenants 1897-1939″

13.Riley Puckett, from “Guitare Country : From Old Time To Jazz Times 1926-1950″

14.The Skillet Lickers, from “Volume 1 (1926-1927)”

15.Henry Thomas, from “Texas Worried Blues”

16.”John Henry Blues”, Earl Johnson, from “Mountain Blues”

17.Deford Bailey, from “Best of Blues Vol.1 : Harmonica Genius Deford Bailey “

18.”Death Of John Henry (Steel Driving Man)”, Uncle Dave Macon, from “Classic Sides New York 1924-1926″

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"The House Carpenter" — Clarence Ashley (1930)

Click on the title to link to a presentation by the artist or of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure

House Carpenter Lyrics

Well met, well met, my own true love
Well met, well met, cried she
I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee

I could have married a King's daughter there
She would have married me
But I have forsaken my King's daughter there
It's all for the love of thee

Well, if you could have married a King's daughter there
I'm sure you're the one to blame
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I'm sure he's a fine young man

Forsake, forsake your house carpenter
And come away with me
I'll take you where the green grass grows
On the shores of sunny Italy

So up she picked her babies three
And gave them kisses, one, two, three
Saying "take good care of your daddy while I'm gone
And keep him good company."

Well, they were sailin' about two weeks
I'm sure it was not three
When the younger of the girls, she came on deck
Sayin' she wants company

"Well, are you weepin' for your house and home?
Or are you weepin' for your babies three?"
"Well, I'm not weepin' for my house carpenter
I'm weepin' for my babies three."

Oh what are those hills yonder, my love
They look as white as snow
Those are the hill of heaven, my love
You and I'll never know

Oh what are those hills yonder, my love
They look as dark as night
Those are the hills of hell-fire my love
Where you and I will unite

Oh twice around went the gallant ship
I'm sure it was not three
When the ship all of a sudden, it sprung a leak
And it drifted to the bottom of the sea

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Fatal Flower Garden" — Nelstone's Hawaiians (1930)

Click on the title to link to a presentation by the artist or of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.


Remembering the Old Songs:

The Fatal Flower Garden

by Lyle Lofgren

(Originally published: Inside Bluegrass, December 1997)

Now that we're having our yearly lesson about Peace On Earth And Good Will To Men, here's a little test: do you believe that the events described in this song ever happened? If you do, you have lots of company. After all, stories like these are why we warn our children not to get into cars with strangers or to accept invitations to visit fatal flower gardens. British versions of this ballad give lots of specifics, allowing scholars (see Child #155) to find the event in written records. The Annals Of Waverly for the year 1255 give the whole story: Hugh, of Lincoln, age nine, is enticed into a Jew's garden, after which he's tortured and crucified to mock Christians (a particularly stupid act in a Christian country like England). They try to hide the body (which makes no sense if it's a mocking act), but it can't be discarded. When buried or thrown in the river, it miraculously reappears. It's thrown in a well, but it floats, and, when brought up, a blind woman touches it and regains her sight. After some torture, the Jews confess, resulting in their execution, along with that of dozens of other (mostly wealthy) Jews throughout England.

Not satisfied with such specifics, Child follows the story back to at least 419 C.E. in Syria, and he cites examples from all the European countries. The stories are usually specific as to the boy's name and age, giving location and date. A similar story set in Spain was the inspiration for Ferdinand and Isabella's creation of the Spanish Inquisition. Given the history of this past sad century, you would not be surprised to find that the story has wide currency in Germany, Poland, and Russia.

The best way to learn this song is to buy a copy of Smithsonian-Folkways reissue of the monumental Folkways Anthology Of American Folk Music. Besides eighty-three other fabulous pieces, you'll get this version performed by a southern Alabama duet called Nelstone's Hawaiians. The tune seems to ask for modern (for the 1920s) techniques, like the smooth singing harmony and slide Hawaiian (Dobro) guitar (tuned DGBGBD) used on the recording. I like to add the lush chords of an autoharp, but ordinary guitars work fine, also.

When our children were pre-teens, we'd sing them songs on long drives to alleviate boredom. They repeatedly requested this one. I'm not sure why - maybe it was the ritual nature of the boy's instructions at the end, or maybe it was the finger rings. We were careful to point out that it was fiction, and they have not grown up to be Gypsyphobics. Still, this is a difficult song, because we find it so easy to believe that, as Sartre put it, "Evil is the other." Instilling fear of evil therefore involves fear of the outsider. But fear is as corrosive as hate, and although we warn our children about strangers, family members commit almost all child murders. How do you warn about that?




Complete Lyrics:
It rained, it poured, it rained so hard,
It rained so hard all day,
That all the boys in our school
Came out to toss and play.

They tossed a ball again so high,
Then again, so low;
They tossed it into a flower garden
Where no-one was allowed to go.

Up stepped a gypsy lady,
All dressed in yellow and green;
"Come in, come in, my pretty little boy,
And get your ball again."

"I can't come in, I shan't come in
Without my playmates all;
I'll go to my father and tell him about it,
That'll cause tears to fall."

She first showed him an apple seed,
Then again gold rings,
Then she showed him a diamond,
That enticed him in.

She took him by his lily-white hand,
She led him through the hall;
She put him in an upper room,
Where no-one could hear him call.

"Oh, take these finger rings off my finger,
Smoke them with your breath;
If any of my friends should call for me,
Tell them that I'm at rest."

"Bury the bible at my head,
A testament at my feet;
If my dear mother should call for me,
Tell her that I'm asleep."

"Bury the bible at my feet,
A testament at my head;
If my dear father should call for me,
Tell him that I am dead."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bibliography
This is one of the most popular of the old ballads. There are fully 21 texts in the Child collection, where it is piece #155. Bronson reports the amazing total of 66 tunes. It has been reported throughout England, in parts of Scotland, in Ireland, in the Canadian Maritimes, and in all parts of the U.S. east of the Mississippi (though rarely if ever west of it). American versions are reported by, among others, Randolph (#25), Eddy (#20), Flanders/Olney, (pp. 30-32, Little Harry Huston), McNeil (pp. 147-149, Sonny Hugh), and Sharp (assorted versions).

We might add that the account in the Annals of Waverly is almost universally held to be unhistorical. This tale probably does not arise from actual events, but from fear of outsiders. For example, in many versions the child-stealer is a Gypsy -- but there is not one verified instance of child-stealing by Gypsies.

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"John Hardy Was A Desperate Little Man" — The Carter Family (1930)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.


LYRICS AS RECORDED BY THE ORIGINAL CARTER FAMILY (Sara Carter, vocals/autoharp; Maybelle Carter, guitar), CAMDEN, NJ, May 10, 1928,

transcribed by Manfred Helfert.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


*** From: skulick@linc.cis.upenn.edu (Seth Kulick)***
Date: Apr 4, 1997 01:42:53 GMT
The liner notes to the Carter Family CD "Anchored in Love", from the Complete Victor Recordings series, this one being for the years 1927-8, has the following comments on the song, with a very curious reference to Dylan:

A genuine folk ballad which Maybelle had known all of her life was "John Hardy was a Desperate Little Man." Though early folk collectors sometimes confused John Hardy with John Henry, they were in fact two different men, with two different legends. John Hardy was a West Virginia outlaw who was hanged in 1894; the Carters' reference to the "Keystone Bridge" refers to the town in McDowell County, West Virginia, not far from where Hardy worked and, supposedly, killed a man over a 25-cent gambling debt. During the early days of the centry, dozens of versions of the Hardy ballad circulated, but after the Carter recording, everyone from Johnny Cash to Bob Dylan used this version...
(notes by Charles Wolfe, 1993)
Huh? What Dylan version? Could this guy be referring to the Dylan/Dead version? Weird...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John Hardy, he was a desp'rate little man,
He carried two guns ev'ry day.
He shot a man on the West Virginia line,
An' you ought seen John Hardy getting away.
John Hardy, he got to the Keystone Bridge,
He thought that he would be free.
And up stepped a man and took him by his arm,
Says, "Johnny, walk along with me."

He sent for his poppy and his mommy, too,
To come and go his bail.
But money won't go a murdering case;
They locked John Hardy back in jail.

John Hardy, he had a pretty little girl,
That dress that she wore was blue
As she came skipping through the old jail hall,
Saying, "Poppy, I've been true to you."

John Hardy, he had another little girl,
That dress that she wore was red.
She followed John Hardy to his hanging ground,
Saying, "Poppy, I would rather be dead."

I been to the East and I been to the West,
I been this wide world around.
I been to the river and I been baptized,
And now I'm on my hanging ground.

John Hardy walked out on his scaffold high,
With his loving little wife by his side.
And the last words she heard poor John-O say,
"I'll meet you in that sweet bye-and-bye."

*In Folklorist Harry Smith’s House-"Charles Guiteau" — Kelly Harrell (1927)

Click on the title to link to a presentation of the song listed in the headline.

The year 2009 has turned into something a year of review of the folk revival of the 1960s. In November I featured a posting of many of the episodes (via “YouTube”) of Pete Seeger’s classic folk television show from the 1960s, “Rainbow Quest”. I propose to do the same here to end out the year with as many of the selections from Harry Smith’s seminal “Anthology Of American Folk Music,” in one place, as I was able to find material for, either lyrics or "YouTube" performances (not necessarily by the original performer). This is down at the roots, for sure.

Remembering the Old Songs:

Charles Guiteau

by Bob Waltz
(Originally published: Inside Bluegrass, July 1997)

Writing this column reminds me a lot of the story of the mule that starved to death between two bales of hay. Or, in this case, over a thousand bales of hay. Because that's how many traditional Appalachian songs are known to us.

The riches of Appalachian music are so vast that there's no rational way to pick and choose subjects for this column. So I use irrational ways. In this case, combining my song from two months ago with Lyle's from last month, and then fouling up.

Two months ago I did a song inspired by Bascom Lamar Lunsford. Last month, Lyle did a song about the death of a Civil War soldier. So this month, I thought I'd do a song from Lunsford about the death of a Civil War soldier (even if it happened fifteen years after the war). Only problem is, I can't figure out how to play the song ("Mister Garfield") on guitar. It's a banjo song, and on banjo it will stay.

So I turned to the "other" Garfield song, "Charles Guiteau" (which turns out also to have been sung by Lunsford).

James A. Garfield was the third consecutive Union general to become President after the Civil War. Elected in 1880, he had been in office for less than four months when he was shot on July 2, 1881. After nearly three months of agony, he died on September 19, 1881.

The murderer was Charles Guiteau, who believed he had been promised a patronage job in the Garfield administration. When the job failed to materialize, Guiteau shot Garfield. He was executed on June 30, 1882.

It is ironic that Garfield, who was an obscure president, had two smashing songs written about his murder. One, the aforementioned song/recitation "Mister Garfield," was specific to the tragedy. "Charles Guiteau," however, is a "touch-up"; the unknown author simply took the earlier ballad "James A. Rogers" (executed in New York in 1858) and "zipped in" the details of the Garfield case. This is no surprise; the same tune carried at least two other murder/confession ballads, "John T. Williams" and "Ewing Brooks."

The song is item E11 in the Laws ballad collection, and Laws lists sixteen versions with references to more. The song has been found in almost every region east of the Mississippi, and several to the west.

The earliest recording seems to be that of Kelly Harrell, made in 1927. I've transcribed that version here, but use the version in my head for the tablature. I'm not sure if the minor variations in the words are just me folk processing the song, or if I've heard another version somewhere.

As you can probably tell, the verse and the chorus use the same tune. Harrell (who recorded the piece with Alfred Steagall on guitar, R. D. Hundley on banjo, and Posey Rorer on fiddle) does not sing the chorus until after the second verse, but many versions sing it after every verse, or even to open the song. These versions are also, perhaps, a bit more coherent. But this one generally suits me.



Complete Lyrics:

Come all you tender Christians
Wherever you may be
And likewise pay attention
To these few lines from me.
I was down at the depot
To make my getaway
And Providence being against me,
It proved to be too late.

I tried to play off insane
But found it would not do;
The people all against me,
It proved to make no show.
Judge Cox he passed the sentence,
The clerk he wrote it down,
On the thirtieth day of June
To die I was condemned.

Chorus:
My name is Charles Guiteau,
My name I'll never deny,
To leave my aged parents
To sorrow and to die.
But little did I think
While in my youthful bloom
I'd be carried to the scaffold
To meet my fatal doom.

My sister came in prison
To bid her last farewell.
She threw her arms around me;
She wept most bitterly.
She said, "My loving brother,
Today you must die
For the murder of James A. Garfield
Upon the scaffold high."

And now I mount the scaffold
To bid you all adieu,
The hangman now is waiting,
It's a quarter after two.
The black cap is o'er my face,
No longer can I see,
But when I'm dead and buried,
Dear Lord, remember me.