Discuss: West Virginia? / East Virginia

Subject: Lyr Req: West virginia
From: GUEST,tatts
Date: 14 Feb 16 - 05:45 AM

Does anyone know of more lyrics than the 4 verses beginning with I was born in West Virginia.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: West virginia
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Feb 16 - 07:05 AM

What four stanzas do you have?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: West virginia
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Feb 16 - 07:50 AM

I was born in West Virginia
North Carolina did I go,
there I met a fair young maiden,
and whose name I do not know,

Well her hair was dark of colour,
cheeks they were a rose red,
on her breast she wore white lily, s
where I longed to lay my head

I Don, t want your greenback dollar,
I Don, t want your silver chain
all I want is your love darling,
say that you'll be mine again,

I'd rather live in some dark holler
where the sun would never shine,
than for you to love another,
and to know you'd never be mine.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: West virginia
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Feb 16 - 08:10 AM

http://media.smithsonianfolkways.org/liner_notes/folkways/FW02480.pdf

There was a fifth stanza done by Cisco Houston (East Virginia) and it's on the liner notes.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: West virginia
From: cnd
Date: 14 Feb 16 - 08:14 AM

It's East Virginia, sometimes called East Virginia Blues:

@displaysong.cfm?SongID=1781

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: West virginia
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Feb 16 - 10:29 AM

thread.cfm?threadid=35233

Excellent thread linked there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: my old home on the green mountainside
From: GUEST,Norman blake fields of november
Date: 14 Feb 16 - 11:11 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: West virginia
From: threelegsoman
Date: 14 Feb 16 - 08:22 PM

The version I sing is East Virginia and it has eight verses.
I got this one from the Toneway Collection.
East Virginia (Including lyrics and chords)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: West Virginia? / East Virginia
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Nov 22 - 02:38 PM

When I first heard the song it meant nothing to me. I went too WHsmith in Edinburgh and got m self a 4cd collection called the US folk songs the that were on have been on sing out books. the tunes on some get repeated often showing what it was like. The song West Virginia is sung by the original Carter Family in a 1928 recording the song I don't want your millions is from 1941 by the almanac singers and both feature the same tune. This album is great and if you like this kind of music I would say try and download it if you can. Other songs that are on there are you are my sunshine by the rice brothers from 1939 and lots of others. thankyou from joe

Subject: RE: Discuss: West Virginia? / East Virginia
From: GUEST,Mike Yates
Date: 10 Nov 22 - 09:11 AM

These are Dan Tate's words:

Once I Lived in Old Virginia (Roud 3396)
(Sung by Dan Tate at his home in Fancy Gap, Carroll County, VA. 16.8.79)

Once I lived in old Virginia,
To North Carolina I did go.
There I spied a beautiful damsel,
Her name I never did know.

Her hair was black as any charcoal,
Her eyes were of some diamond blue.
On her bosom she wore white lilies,
Oh my poor heart most broke in two.

Every day I'm a-thinking about her,
Every night 'till I can't rest.
Every moment seems like an hour,
Oh what a pain across my breast.

Oh bring me a razor and a pan of cold water,
Bring me a hammer to beat out my brain.
For the old corn liquor has got me surrounded,
And the women have run me deranged.

Shall I go to Alleghany?
Shall I go for loving you?
Or shall I go to some far country,
And bid a sad adieu?

Subject: RE: Discuss: West Virginia? / East Virginia
From: leeneia
Date: 10 Nov 22 - 02:03 PM

That'll cheer everybody up.

I like the phrase "Old Virginia" because I've never heard anybody speak of East Virginia in my life. The way I read it, during the American Civil War the mountain people of western Virginia had no sympathy with slavery and the planters' way of life, and they resisted fighting in a war for somebody else. In time that western part was split from Virginia and became the state of West Virginia.

Subject: RE: Discuss: West Virginia? / East Virginia
From: GUEST,Bobberanggg
Date: 10 Nov 22 - 02:05 PM

If you live in Detroit, West Virginia is actually east.

Subject: RE: Discuss: West Virginia? / East Virginia
From: leeneia
Date: 10 Nov 22 - 02:07 PM

YouTube has several versions of this where you can learn the tune and some nice verses not given here. Search for East Virginia.

Subject: RE: Discuss: West Virginia? / East Virginia
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 10 Nov 22 - 03:24 PM

Here's a version of East Virginia by a band from South West Virginia not too far from Dan Tate as it happens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRo16c6M-8I