ADD: Water Bound/Waterbound/Down In No. Carolina

Subject: Lyr Req: Water bound
From: CET
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 07:32 PM

Does anyone have the words for an old Appalachian song with this title? The chorus is:

Water bound and I can't get home (3x)
Way down in North Carolina.

I stumbled across this on YouTube. There are lots of videos but the sound quality is iffy and I can't make out the words.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Water bound
From: GUEST,999
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 07:40 PM

http://bobzentz.com/songbook/w.waterbound.htm

Subject: ADD Version: Waterbound
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 09:14 PM

For the record, let's post the lyrics from the Bob Zentz Website

Way Down in North Carolina (Waterbound)
From Shipmates (2011)
Traditional

Waterbound, an' I can't get home (D)
Waterbound, an' I can't get home (A-G-D)
Waterbound, an' I can't get home (D-G)
Down in North Carolina (D-A-D)

1. There's chickens crowin' in the old plowfield (3x)
    Down in North Carolina

2. Now the old man's mad, an' I don't care (3x)
    Because I love his daughter

3. If he don't give her up, then we're gonna run away (3x)
    Way down in North Carolina

4. Well, Nick and Charlie left to go home (3x)
    Before that water rises

5. Dance all night an' don't go home (3x)
    Just stay with me till morning

6. Well, me an' Sam an' Dave's going home (3x)
    Before that water rises

7. Water's wide an' I can't get across (3x)
    Ridin' on my ol' gray horse

---

And for comparison, here are the lyrics from the Digital Tradition:

WATERBOUND

Chickens crowing in the old plowed field
Chickens crowing in the old plowed field
Chickens crowing in the old plowed field
Down in North Carolina

Waterbound, and I can't get home
Waterbound, and I can't get home
Waterbound, and I can't get home
Down in North Carolina

Me and Tom and Dave Goin' home
Me and Tom and Dave Goin' home
Me and Tom and Dave Goin' home
Before the water rises

CHORUS

The old man's mad and I don't care
The old man's mad and I don't care
The old man's mad and I don't care
I'm gonna get his daughter

If he don't give her up we're gonna run away
If he don't give her up we're gonna run away
If he don't give her up we're gonna run away
Down in North Carolina

CHORUS

*I'm goin' home with the one I love
I'm goin' home with the one I love
I'm goin' home with the one I love
Down in North Carolina

CHORUS

Recorded on the New Golden Ring, FSI__
filename[ WATRBOND
DC


*This verse is on the New Golden Ring CD, but not in the Digital Tradition.

---

And the tune:

X: 1
T:Waterbound
L:1/8
M:2/4
B:Kuntz - Ragged but Right
K:A
c/c/B AA/B/|c/d/c/B/ AA|BB/B/ Bc/B/|A/B/A/F/ E>(E|E)F/F/ AA/B/|c/B/c/d/ e2|
fe/e/ cc/B/|A2A2|c/c/B AA/B/|c/d/c/B/ AA|BB/B/ Bc/B/|A/B/A/F/ E>(E| E)F/F/ AA/B/|c/B/c/d/ e2|fe/e/ cc/B/|A2A2||
|:aa/a/ aa/a/|f/e/c e(B|c)c/B/ c/B/A|f/e/c/d/ ee|aa/a/ aa/a/|f/e/c ee|fe cB/c/|A2A2:|

To play or display ABC tunes, try concertina.net

---

Click to play (joeweb)

Tune from JC's ABC Tune Finder

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Water bound
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 09:14 PM

Also see thread 130431:
Waterbound

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Water bound
From: Artful Codger
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 09:35 PM

Search for "Waterbound" (without the space). Here's the DigiTrad entry:
http://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=7606

May be related to "Alabama Bound" or "Boat's up the River," but to my mind only by virtue of sharing one or two floating verses.

I'm only familiar with this song from the New Golden Ring (Vol. 1) recording, from which the lyrics taken for the DigiTrad entry. The song was led by Joe Hickerson. I don't vouch for the DigiTrad accuracy--the lyrics are usually transcribed by ear even when printed sources are available, and corrections seldom seem to make it into the DigiTrad. But although Folk-Legacy doesn't provide liner notes with their CD reissues, they usually make them available for download from their site, and that would be the best place to check. Since I own the LPs as well, I know for a fact that the lyrics to all songs were originally included in liner inserts. The first three Golden Ring recordings are classics with great songs; I haven't cared for the later ones.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Water bound
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 09:35 PM

Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry on this song:

Waterbound (I)

DESCRIPTION: Singer can't go home because of flooding. His girl's father is mad, but the singer doesn't care "as long as I get his daughter": "If he don't give her up, we're gonna run away." He and his friends state that they're going home "before the water rises."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1929 (unissued recording, Grayson County Railsplitters)
KEYWORDS: courting elopement flood father
FOUND IN: US(Ap,SE)
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Darling-NAS, pp. 252-253, "Waterbound" (1 text)
DT, WATRBOND
RECORDINGS:
Grayson County Railsplitters, "Way Down in North Carolina" (unissued, 1929; on TimesAint05)
Art Thieme, "Waterbound" (on Thieme06)
Wade Ward & Bogtrotters, "Waterbound" (on Holcomb-Ward1)
NOTES: Yes, there's a narrative buried in there -- two of them, really. - PJS
I suspect it may have been stronger, once upon a time, but gotten rather submerged after years of the tune being used primarily as a fiddle/banjo instrumental. As Paul notes, there are two plots -- one about the rising flood and one about courting. - RBW
The Grayson Co. Railsplitters' recording is essentially identical to the canonical version sung in the folk revival, mostly learned from the Wade Ward/Bogtrotters recording. It should be noted that Fields Ward, Wade's brother, was a member of the Railsplitters, along with Sampson Ward, Eck Dunford and Ernest "Pop" Stoneman -- an old-time music all-star show if ever there was one. - PJS
File: DTwatrbo

---

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2012 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

Subject: RE: ADD: Water Bound/Waterbound/Down In No. Carolina
From: CET
Date: 18 Aug 12 - 10:30 AM

Thanks all. My mistake was searching the DT with a space between the two words.

Subject: RE: ADD: Water Bound/Waterbound/Down In No. Carolina
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jun 13 - 06:27 AM

Subject: RE: ADD: Water Bound/Waterbound/Down In No. Carolina
From: kendall
Date: 25 Jun 13 - 06:37 AM

I learned this one from a Folk Legacy recording, think it was the Golden Ring. It's a great clawhammer tune.

Subject: RE: ADD: Water Bound/Waterbound/Down In No. Carolina
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jun 13 - 09:26 AM

Art rosenbaum's version of these tunes on old kicking mule record in 70s is a good one www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNPo0lwKK7k

Ah to be able to play like that"!

Subject: RE: ADD: Water Bound/Waterbound/Down In No. Carolina
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 25 Jun 13 - 09:52 AM

For the masochists among you there is a two banjo version here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAsaV-gdwow


Hoot

Subject: RE: ADD: Water Bound/Waterbound/Down In No. Carolina
From: Ron Davies
Date: 25 Jun 13 - 10:17 AM

Kendall has it right.    It is in fact on: New Golden Ring:   Five Days Singing:   Volume I.

In fact it's the first cut.

Obtainable, I'm sure, from CAMSCO--that's probably where I got mine.

Subject: RE: ADD: Water Bound/Waterbound/Down In No. Carolina
From: Ron Davies
Date: 25 Jun 13 - 10:32 AM

On the Golden Ring collection, Joe Hickerson sings it.   Accompaniment:    guitar and hammer dulcimer.   Sounds great--and the whole thing seems just right.

Subject: RE: ADD: Water Bound/Waterbound/Down In No. Carolina
From: GUEST,Liberty Boy (sans cookie)
Date: 25 Jun 13 - 12:43 PM

There's a great version of it on the new JigJaw CD entitled "Doodle I Do"

Subject: RE: ADD: Water Bound/Waterbound/Down In No. Carolina
From: GUEST,d
Date: 08 Dec 16 - 06:07 PM

David Meredith

Chickens a-crowin' in the old backyard
down in north carolina

come on joe let's get home x3
before the water rises

i'l run away with the one i love x3
down in north carolina

Subject: RE: ADD: Water Bound/Waterbound/Down In No. Carolina
From: gillymor
Date: 09 Dec 16 - 05:39 AM

Kathy Kallick includes these lines in her wonderful version:

Say old man I want your daughter (3X)
Way down in North Carolina

Tell me boy what you want her for (3X)
Way down in North Carolina

To break my bread and share my water (3X)
Way down in North Carolina.

Subject: RE: ADD: Water Bound/Waterbound/Down In No. Carolina
From: GUEST,Brad Sondahl
Date: 09 Dec 16 - 11:13 AM

Surprised no one's mentioned Doc Watson's version--that's where I first heard it. I seem to recall New Lost City Ramblers or Mike Seeger did it as well...

Subject: RE: ADD: Water Bound/Waterbound/Down In No. Carolina
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Dec 16 - 07:58 PM

Brad, I can't find anywhere a Doc Watson version of the song