Lyr Req: Banks of the Ohio (from Monroe Brothers)

Subject: Lyr Add: ON THE BANKS OF THE OHIO (Monroe Brothers
From: Roberto
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 09:14 AM

On the Banks of the Ohio
Monroe Brothers
What Would You Give In Exchange For Your Soul? Volume One (Rounder)
It seemed so easy, but it is not. Main doubts where I put the question marks. Please, help me check and correct this transcription. Thanks. R

I asked my love to take a walk
Just to walk a little way
As we walk, oh may we talk
All about our wedding day

Only say that you'll be mine
In my home we'll happy be
Down beside where the waters flow
On the banks of the Ohio

He taken her by the lily-white hand
And he dragged her down to the river bank
There he pushed her in to drown
And he watched her as she floated down

??? Was comin' home, quick I run ???
Thinking of what deed I'd done
Had murdered the only girl I love
Because she would not marry me

The very next mornin', 'bout half past four
The sheriff men knocked at my door
Now young man, come down and go
Down to the banks of the Ohio

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: Sorcha
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 09:20 AM

Roberto, here is the DT version. Yours is quite close.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: Roberto
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 10:04 AM

Thanks, Sorcha. The recordings of this song are all quite similar. I am interested specifically in the Monroe Brothers' recording. Although I get most of the words, I'm not sure of a couple of lines. R

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: Stewie
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 12:35 PM

Roberto,

Although it is not immediately obvious, I reckon they are singing 'He'd' rather than 'He' in the first line of the second stanza.

The third stanza is totally weird in its confusion of first and third person perspectives. I can't decipher the last word in the first line. It might be a place name.

I was coming home to (sounds like Karun)
Thinking of what HE had done
HE'D murdered the only girl I love
Because she would not marry ME

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: Roberto
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 12:59 PM

I had noticed there was something unclear with the pronouns, but then I decided for a logical solution. Now I see the confusion was real. Thanks, Stewie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: fretless
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 04:35 PM

I always remembered him as coming home "'tween [or twixt] 12 and 1" in the 4th verse to balance the time citation in the 5th, but I don't have the Monroe version handy to confirm that they were following the clock, too.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: Roberto
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 06:13 PM

It is not the "'tween 12 and 1 verse", although somehow I had it in mind when I heard "quick I run", but probably it is not what they sing. R

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: Roberto
Date: 01 Jan 08 - 04:10 AM

Stewie, no Karun in America. I'd stick to "run", still the line is not clear...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: Stewie
Date: 01 Jan 08 - 08:39 AM

Roberto, I was not suggesting that is what it is - simply that it sounds something like that phonetically. Having listened to the line repeatedly, I am pretty sure that 'I was coming home to' is accurate. The problem is deciphering what sounds to me like a single word - 'run' is only part of the sound of that last word. It is a word of 2 syllables (or possibly two short words).

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 01 Jan 08 - 11:26 AM

Roberto:"Was coming home Quick i run" is either "And Quick I run" or "at a run" this is an old song and I sing it at reenactments sometimes I'll see if I have the lyrics around here and get back to you unles you're satisfied with the help so far. Kindestr egards, Neil

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: Stewie
Date: 01 Jan 08 - 06:12 PM

Irish Sergeant, have you listened to the Monroe Brothers version? If you can get either 'and quick I run' or 'at a run' out of that line, you've got better ears than me. I can hear absolutely no 'at' or 'and' or 'quick'. There are numerous versions of the song, but Roberto is specically interested in this one.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: GUEST,Roberto
Date: 02 Jan 08 - 07:05 AM

Stewie, what about: "was comin' home, took a run"? Roberto

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: Stewie
Date: 02 Jan 08 - 08:35 AM

Roberto, that is a possibility, but it is a very odd pronunciation if it is. Why don't you send Mick a file and ask him to have a listen.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: Stewie
Date: 02 Jan 08 - 08:41 AM

On subsequent listenings, I'd say it is a distinct possibility. It makes sense and is much closer to the sound than anything else we have come up with.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 02 Jan 08 - 04:16 PM

It drives me crazy how they would switch between 1st and 3rd person in this song. My final solution to the 3rd verse is "was coming home, prepared to run" which makes sense but sounds a LITTLE different from what they sang. Whatever it was, they both sang the same thing. . .

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 02 Jan 08 - 04:46 PM

My misunderstanding, Stewie. :~)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Monroe Brothers' Banks of the Ohio
From: Stewie
Date: 02 Jan 08 - 09:15 PM

Pete, that is a darn good solution to the problem line.

Irish sergeant, no worries.

Best wishes to you both for the New Year.

--Stewie.