"NEW HARMONY" Sandy and Caro1ine Paton 1987

ROUSTABOUT SONG (c) Dillon Bustin, BMI Published by Folk-Legacy Records, Inc.
Side 2, Band 4. Sandy - guitar & lead vocal, Caroline - vocal,Cathy - banjo & vocal, Dave - vocal, Ed - vocal, David - mountain dulcimer, Gordon - plucked cellamba

When Dillon Bustin was living in southern Indiana, he collected and studied the music of the region -- fiddle tunes, old-timey songs, hymns, ballads, etc. -- with a special focus on the songs of the river workers, the freight handlers who were called "rousters" or "roustabouts." But when he wanted the generic roustabout song, so to speak, he had to write it himself. This is it, and I dearly love it.

In the note to "Rowdy Soul," I promised an explanation of the term "coonjine," which is used in the final verse of this song. I can do no better than to quote from Steamboatin' Days. "It is possible that the Negro songs known as 'Coonjines' originally referred to the old African dance, the Coonjai. But to the (roustabout) the Coonjine is the combination song and dance that is associated with handling freight. The 'plank walk' springs under a heavy weight, or even under the lighter step of the rouster when he trota back again empty handed for more freight. To avoid jarring, the feet are dragged along the stage plank, accompanied by a song that takes its rhythm from the shuffling feet and swaying shoulders.

"Possibly this levee dance step and the name 'Coonjine' that describes it were inspired by the way a coon makes his way along the ljmb of a tree, steadying himself by keeping one foot safely on the limb, while he 'coons along' with the other three." Perhaps I should add that "calling lead-line" refers to the practice of dropping a lead-weighted line off the bow of the vessel to determine the depth of the channel, an important aid to the captain or pilot, especially when navigating rivers with shifting sandbars. (SP)