*The Roots Of The Roots of The Roots- Deep Into Musical Americana

Click on title to link to YouTube's film clip of Jimmie Rodgers performing "Waiting For A Train".

DVD Review

Times Ain’t What They Used To Be: Early American Rural&Popular Music From Rare Original Film Masters (1928-1935), various artists, Shanachie Entertainment, 2000.

Okay, I will admit that I have gone off the deep-end, at least a little, in my seemingly endless search for the roots of the American musical songbook. I have gone down the musical road to Cajun country, I have gone to the hills of Appalachia and the Piedmont of North Carolina, and I have catalogued cowboy songs, railroad songs, every kind of blues, and even the some selections from Tin Pan Alley. But reviewing the present DVD seems on the outer edge even to me.

The producers of this series of film vignettes from the 1920s and 1930s have apparently gone deep into the vaults to get down, way down, into the depths of musical Americana. Tops here are a couple of yodeling Jimmie Rodgers tunes, Jules Allen doing up “Home On The Range”, The Duke Davis Band playing (accompanied by a huge banjo) “Ida” and the Fiddler’s Convention playing “Turkey In The Straw”. Did I say Americana? Yes, indeed. Also included are anonymous clips of square dancers, singing cowboys (real and fake), banjo strumming black men and a number of other things that practically defy categorization.


"T Is For Texas"


T for texas, T for Tennessee
T for texas, T for Tennessee
T for Thelma, the gal made a wreck out of me

If you don't want me mama, you sure don't have to stall
If you don't want me mama, you sure don't have to stall
I can get more women, than a passenger train can haul

I'm gonna buy me a pistol, just as long as I'm tall
I'm gonna buy me a pistol, just as long as I'm tall
I'm gonna shoot poor Thelma, just to see her jump and fall

And if that's your mama, you'd better tie her to your side
If that's your mama, better tie her to your side
Cause if she flags my train, I'm sure gonna let her ride

I'm gonna buy me a shotgun, with a great long shiny barrel
I'm gonna buy me a shotgun, with a great long shiny barrel
I'm gonna shoot that rounder, that stole away my gal

I'd rather drink muddy water, and sleep in a hollow log
I'd rather drink muddy water, and sleep in a hollow log
Than to be in atlanta treated like a dirty hog

Well it's T for texas, T for Tennessee
T for texas, T for Tennessee
T for Thelma, the gal who made a wreck out of me