Subject: Origins: Clayton Boone (Child #200) From: Joe Offer Date: 15 Dec 08 - 11:23 PM I got an interesting e-mail from somebody today:
Do you know any history of the song on your website entitled "Clayton Boone"? If authentic, it might have been written by someone on the wild west show. But my grandmother died in 1913 still married to Clayton. Let me know what you know about it. please Doug Boone, P.E. |
Subject: RE: Origins: Clayton Boone (Child #200) From: Mark Ross Date: 15 Dec 08 - 11:44 PM Joe, There is a CLAYTON BOONE in the Digitrad, seems to be a variant of BLACK JACK DAVEY. Mark Ross |
Subject: RE: Origins: Clayton Boone (Child #200) From: Joe Offer Date: 15 Dec 08 - 11:51 PM Hi, Mark. You caught me before I finished typing. It's the source information I'm interested in - the Digital Tradition does not provide information about where the song came from. The earliest version I can find is a Folkways recording by Harry Jackson (1965). Here are the lyrics and background notes: CLAYTON BOONE Here's an old world ballad dressed up in cowboy rigging. Commonly known as The Gypsy Laddie" (Child #200), this ballad in its early English and Scottish variants tells us the story of the gypsy leader, Johnny Faa, who sings at the gate of an absent lord, enticing the lady to come down. The gypsies bewitch her and she goes off with them. Upon his return the lord learns of his lady's defection, and sets out to bring her beck. In some versions he succeeds, and the gypsies die for their crime. American versions, as in the cowboy text given here, usually end with the gypsy and lover triumphant over the wicked old lord. In its western setting, the ballad scene is somewhere on the Mexican border, the bosses horse is a black stripped (sic) dun, his saddle is silver, and the gypsy hero is a sweetsinging mandolin player. For an interesting comparison with another cowboy version of this ballad, hear Woody Guthrie's rendition on the Library of Congress recording, AAFS L1. For additiona1 texts and infomation, see: Botkin II (Treasury of Western Folklore, p. 785 (Guthrie's Library of Congress version); also see Coffin British Traditional Ballad in North America), p. 120 for a listing of numerous American texts. CLAYTON BOONE 'Twas way out in New Mexico, Along the Spanish Line, I was workin' for old Clayton Boone, A man well past his prime. Well he rides in and asks of me, "What's happened to my lady?" I says to him: "She's quit your range And run with the handsome Davy." "Go Saddle for that proud cut dun With the coal black mane and tail, Point out to me their fresh laid tracks And aftr them I'll trail." I'll bridle on my leather chaps I'll tie my pistol o'er, I'll step aboard that black striped dun And ride this whole world over. I rode upon a saddle fine, A saddle made of silver, My bridle rein of beaten gold, Not of your common leather. I rode until the midnight sun, Till I seen their camfire burnin', And I heard the sweetest mandolin, And the voice of young Dave singin'. "Come home with me to your own sweet bed, The sheets turned down so gayly, Do not forget your silver and gold, And your darlin' baby. "Well, I'll not come home to my own sweet bed, The sheets turned down so gayly, And I'll forget your silver and gold And all for the love of Davey But I can't forget my baby. "Last night I slept with a mean old man In golden rooms so stately, Tonight I sleep on the hard, cold ground By the warm side of my Davy, And I'll ride along with Dave." For comparison, here are the lyrics from the Digital Tradition:
'Twas way out in New Mexico along the Spanish line I was workin' for old Clayton Boone --a man well past his prime. He rides in and asks of me, "What's happened to my lady?" I says to him, "She's quit your range and run with the handsome Davey." "Go saddle for my proud cut dun with the coal black mane and tail Point out to me their fresh laid tracks and after them I'll trail." I'll bridle on my leather chaps--I'll tie my pistol o'er, I'll step aboard that black striped dun and ride this whole world over." I rode upon a saddle fine --a saddle made o0f silver, My bridle rein of beaten gold--not of your common silver. I rode until the midnight sun -- 'til I saw their campfire burnin' And I heard the sweetest mandolin and the voice of the young Dave singing. "Come home with me to your own sweet bed -- the sheets turned down so gayly, Do not forget my silver and gold and your darling baby." "Well, I'll not come home to my own sweet bed--the sheets turned down so gayly, And I'll forget your silver and gold and all for the love of Davy. "Last night I slept with a mean old man in golden rooms so stately, Tonight I'll sleep on the hard cold ground by the warm side of my Davey, And I'll ride along with Dave." @cowboy @infidelity Child #200 Roud-1 filename[ CLAYBOON AT oct00 |
Subject: RE: Origins: Clayton Boone (Child #200) From: Joe Offer Date: 16 Dec 08 - 12:01 AM The song was recorded by Ed Trickett on People Like You (1982), and by Larry Hanks on Tying a Knot in the Devil's Tail (1982). |
Subject: RE: Origins: Clayton Boone (Child #200) From: Nerd Date: 16 Dec 08 - 02:00 AM In the notes to the double CD Song Links 2, Skip Gorman says: "Harry [Jackson] learned "Clayton Boone" from an old cowboy named Ed Marshbank on the Whitt Ranch on Rawhide Creek." Presumably, he had this detail from Jackson. |
Subject: RE: Origins: Clayton Boone (Child #200) From: GUEST Date: 16 Dec 08 - 11:30 AM Doug Boone Thanks for the information, anyone know how I can get in touch with Skip Gorman? Or does anyone know which Rawhide Creek (Dallas, Oklahoma, or Wyoming? A free copy of my book about the booneboys.com to anyone who can help track this down. ;-) |
Subject: RE: Origins: Clayton Boone (Child #200) From: Nerd Date: 16 Dec 08 - 01:14 PM Skip's email is on his website, so I guess I can give it here: skip@skipgorman.com You can also see his website itself at www.skipgorman.com |
Subject: RE: Origins: Clayton Boone (Child #200) From: Nerd Date: 16 Dec 08 - 03:30 PM Aha! It was Wyoming. In his introduction to the Liner notes on the Harry Jackson album, my dear departed friend and mentor Kenny Goldstein wrote that Harry met Ed Marshbank while he was a teenager working on Wyoming ranches, including the Whitt ranch on Rawhide Creek and the River Ranch on Wood River. On both these ranches, he apparently worked with Marshbank building corrals, and learned many songs from him, including "Clayton Boone." You should be able to download those complete liner notes as a pdf, here Best of luck! |
Subject: RE: Origins: Clayton Boone (Child #200) From: GUEST Date: 17 Dec 08 - 06:09 PM Refresh, did Doug see the last two posts? If not, can Joe Offer email him?
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Subject: RE: Origins: Clayton Boone (Child #200) From: GUEST,Doug Boone Date: 21 Dec 11 - 08:06 AM I saw the post, thanks and I wrote to Skip but no answer. I appreciate everyones help, BTW there is a picture of the Clayton Boone I know posted on the website boonebooks.com |
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