The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #107835 Message #2239370
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
18-Jan-08 - 01:45 PM
Thread Name: Origins: Batttle of New Orleans - Marse Jackson
Subject: RE: Origins: Batttle of New Orleans - Marse Jackson
James Corbett Morris, aka Jimmy Driftwood, was a teacher and student of old American music; his collection of thousands of songs, collected and/or re-written, continued the efforts of his father, also a collector who recorded a number of folk songs. He was instrumental in the founding of the Ozark Folk Center, lobbying Congressional leaders for help in funding.
He would have been very familiar with white American 19th c. dialects and language usage. The tune for BNO is "Eighth of January," revised.
1. In eighteen and fourteen we took a little trip Along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Misissip. We took a little bacon and we took a little beans And we met the bloody British near the town of New Orleans.
Jimmy Driftwood's version (or close to it) is in the DT. Marse was commonly used for 'boss' or master in the South. It is defined in Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, and persists in Georgia slang.