The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #11768   Message #89460
Posted By: Art Thieme
24-Jun-99 - 06:15 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Red River Shore / New River Shore
Subject: RE: Red River Shore
It's always amazed me how "floater verses" show up in various songs all over the many traditions. It's a big part of that oral tradition PROCESS that makes searching through the manuscripts and recordings so much like a true treasure hunt. I could swear that Alan Lomax had this verse as a part of "Red River Shore" when he printed it in __Folksongs Of North America__. Alas, I can't check it as I don't have that volume any longer. (Was part of the big potlatch when we moved recently.)

AN APOLOGY:
It always drives me nuts when I realize I've mad a mistake in researching a song--especially when I've included that bit of info in the notes I did for an album. That is why, when I just looked up the song in John Lomax's 1910 book __Cowboy Songs__, I not only didn't find the verse, but I DIDN'T FIND THE SONG "Red River Shore"! It was probably _Folksongs Of North America__ where it was located all along. (Sorry, Sandy to realize this at this late date 15 years after the fact/album.

If someone has that book PLEASE let me know if the song is there encased and whether or not the "Such is the fortune of all womankind" verse is in it???!!

Thanks in advance,

Art