The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #51808   Message #792241
Posted By: Stewie
27-Sep-02 - 04:59 AM
Thread Name: Origin of Ida Red
Subject: RE: Origin of Ida Red
Hi Richie,

I wasn't suggesting a connection. Since 'Granny' had been raised and I had the lyrics for 'Hog-eye' handy, I thought I might as well post them.

I agree that 'Over the road', 'Down the road' and 'Feather Bed' are all related to 'Ida Red'. I believe there are some mondegreens in the transcription of Uncle Dave's 'Over the Road' that you posted. Rather than refer to particular lines, I will post what I hear with the help of the transcription in the NLCR songbook - they have some oddities too such as 'Meeting here, my honey dear' when Uncle Dave clearly sings 'Weep not, my dear honey'.

The lyrics that you posted for 'Down the Road', with minor textual alterations and stanza reshuffling, are basically what Flatt and Scruggs recorded at their Mercury sessions. And a stanza they sang twice began: 'Now every time I get the blues/I walked the soles right off my shoes'.

OVER THE ROAD I'M BOUND TO GO

Spoken: Let's go, over the road I'm bound

Judge and jurymen can't you see
I have murdered in the first degree

Bound to go, bound to go
Over the road I'm bound to go

Every station I pass by
I thought I heard little Ella cry

Weep not, my dear honey
I'm bound to go

It may rain, it may snow
But over the road I'm bound to go

Fare you well I'm bound to go

I rolled out to preach and call
They looked at me: it was the law

Bound to go, bound to go
Over the road I'm bound to go

Every station I pass by
I thought I heard little Ella cry

Bound to go, bound to go
Over the road I'm bound to go

It may rain, it may snow
But over the road I'm bound to go

I rolled out to preach and call
They looked at me: it was the law

Bound to go, bound to go
Over the road I'm bound to go

Every station I pass by
I thought I heard little Ella cry

Weep not, my dear honey
I'm bound to go

It may rain, it may snow
But over the road I'm bound to go

How them women, they did shout
They looked at me, it was all about

Bound to go, bound to go
Over the road I'm bound to go

It may rain, it may snow
But over the road I'm bound to go

Bound to go, bound to go
Over the road I'm bound to go

Source: transcription of Uncle Dave Macon 'Over the Road I'm Bound to Go' recorded on 25 July 1928 in Chicago and issued as Brunswick 329 in August 1929. Reissued on Uncle Dave Macon 'Go Long Mule' County CO-CD-3505.