Jimmie Rodgers to Kendall: Prairie Lullaby

Subject: Jimmie Rogers to Kendall: Prai. Lullaby
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:06 PM

By now, several fo you have probably heard me sing the version of Prairie Lullaby which my mom and dad always sang me to sleep by. The words are:

Tumble in bed, my tired little sleepyhead
The stars are in the sky.
Time that your prayers were said, my little sleepyhead
To a Prairie Lullaby.

Saddle up your pony the Sandman's here
To take you down the Trail of Dreams
Tumble in bed my tired little sleepyhead
To a Prairie Lullaby.

This week, our own Kendall Morse sen me an email that he knew the rest of the song and would be happy to sing it for me if I wanted to give him a call. I told him I was sure the rest of you would like to ehar it, could he please call the radio show on Wednesday and sing it. Of course, kind soul that he is, he said sure.

The additional words he gave me are:

Shadows slowly creeping, down the prairie trail
Everything is sleeping all but the nightingale
Moon will soon be climbing in the purple sky
Night winds softly humming this tender lullaby
Tumble in bed my tired little sleepy head etc.

THEN, he tells me, "I got that song from Jimmie Rodgers..the original, Jimmie Rodgers."

So, with his permission, I have started this thread so that Kendall, the superb storyteller, can tell us all about learning this song from Jimmie Rodgers etc. I really love to hear this kind of stuff and really look forward to it, hope you do, too!

THANKS, Kendall!!!

luvyakat

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rogers to Kendall: Prai. Lullaby
From: GUEST,jofield, in Paris
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 04:36 PM

Geoff Muldaur has been doing it for awhile now -- it's on his latest CD (highly recommended), "The Secret Handshake".

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rogers to Kendall: Prai. Lullaby
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 08:45 AM

Thanks, jofield.

Ooohhhh, Keeennnnndddalllll! YooHoo!!

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rogers to Kendall: Prai. Lullaby
From: Áine
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 10:28 AM

Dear kat,

Maybe our one and only Kendall is saving his story for the Mudcat Radio show this evening? I would *love* to hear him tell the story -- And thank you so much for posting the lyrics to this wonderful song. As much as I love Jimmie Rodgers, I will always hear your own voice singing this song to me for the first time! Just beautiful!

-- Áine

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rogers to Kendall: Prai. Lullaby
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 10:40 AM

Thanks, darlin', but he and I discussed this before I started the thread, so I had thought he was coming here first. No matter, I will enjoy it either way. Guess I'd better make sure Bert and Max know about our plans, huh?**BG**

kat

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rogers to Kendall: Prai. Lullaby
From: kendall
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 05:01 PM

Sorry kids, didnt know what was expected of me..I will be listening to mudcat radio this evening, and, if its ok with Max, I'll call in and sing it. That way it will be in the archives for future reference.

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rogers to Kendall: Prai. Lullaby
From: katlaughing
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 05:07 PM

That's fine, Kendall, I just thought maybe we'd get you to put the story, in here, of HOW you came to learn this song from THE Jimmie Rodgers!*BG*

I ahve sent Max a message about this, too. Thanks, darlin'...kat

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rogers to Kendall: Prai. Lullaby
From: JedMarum
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 05:23 PM

Ya, ya, Kendall. Ya need to sing it on the air, and tell Max ya don't need a conference call this time!

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rogers to Kendall: Prai. Lullaby
From: kendall
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 07:47 PM

What happened was quite simple, back in the 60's I belonged to the Capitol record club, and, one of their offers was The singing brakeman, Jimmie Rodgers. I first heard his records when I was a small boy, so, I ordered it. Praire lullaby was on it. My older brother "borrowed" it and I havn't seen it since.

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rogers to Kendall: Prai. Lullaby
From: GUEST,Seamus Kennedy
Date: 08 Mar 00 - 07:53 PM

If I'm not mistaken, Gene Autry and Riders in the Sky have done this beauty as well. Jed, good to see you and your band at the NTIF. Sorry we didn't get to visit longer, and exchange CDs. Seamus

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rodgers to Kendall: Prairie Lullaby
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Feb 12 - 10:19 AM

Kendall, just wanted you to know, I've been singing this, nightly, to my grandson, Morgan, for the past couple of months. (He's heard it before, but not as consistently.)It comes after he and I have read to one another, over the phone, just before he goes to bed.

Anyway, the folk process is alive and well...he's been learning it on his own and last night had it almost down pat as he sang along with me. I wish I'd had a recording...it was so precious, made my heart glow.

Thanks, again, my friend, for telling me about the rest of it and for singing it for me, way back in the early days of Mudcat.:-)

luvyakat

P.S. Before he went to school this morning, I played a youtube video for him of Jimmie Rodgers singing. He made note that "Mama" does not do the yodelling part!:-)

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rodgers to Kendall: Prairie Lullaby
From: jacqui.c
Date: 13 Feb 12 - 11:10 AM

Just found the CD on eBay and bought it for Kendall.

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rodgers to Kendall: Prairie Lullaby
From: open mike
Date: 13 Feb 12 - 11:43 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tnKAra8MKk&feature=related

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rodgers to Kendall: Prairie Lullaby
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Feb 12 - 01:13 PM

That's neat, Jacqui!

Thanks, om, for listing that.

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rodgers to Kendall: Prairie Lullaby
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 13 Feb 12 - 03:47 PM

I wonder what would happen if I was to tell Jacqui I'd like to have a new BMW? Thanks, Luv.

I should have said I learned the song from the SINGING of Jimmy Rodgers. He died the year before I was born.

Subject: Prairie Lullaby - video
From: Genie
Date: 14 Feb 12 - 03:11 PM

Here's a blicky for the URL you posted, Open Mike:
Prickly Pair sing "Prairie Lullaby"

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rodgers to Kendall: Prairie Lullaby
From: kendall
Date: 14 Feb 12 - 07:51 PM

I like Jimmy's rendition better. They rushed the second part. It is a lullaby and shouldn't be rushed.

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rodgers to Kendall: Prairie Lullaby
From: Rapparee
Date: 14 Feb 12 - 09:19 PM

Jimmie Rodgers died in 1867? I didn't know that.

Subject: RE: Jimmie Rodgers to Kendall: Prairie Lullaby
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 Dec 13 - 07:48 PM

"Prairie Lullaby" was written by Billy Hill (1899-1940).

Written by "a young Billy Hill; (Jimmie Rodgers) "....had been doing fathers' lullaby songs... so the cowboy oriented turn in "Prairie Lullaby" (written by a young Billy Hill who would later compose pop hits "The Last Roundup"...)
From the book "Meeting Jimmie Rodgers:...", Barry Mazor( part on line).

In the welter of recordings, the composer became lost; the song appearing, among other places, in Hendron MS, no, 236, quoted in Fife and Fife, 1970, "Ballads of the Great West." Great West Pub.

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: PRAIRIE LULLABY (Billy Hill)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 25 Dec 13 - 08:40 PM

Lyr. Add: PRAIRIE LULLABY
Words and music by Billy Hill

(Am)Shadows (Dm)slowly (Am)creeping
(Am)Down the (Dm)prairie (Am)trail
(Am)Every(Dm)thing is (Am)sleeping
(C)All but the (Ab)nightin(G)gale.

(Am)Moon will (Dm)soon be (Am)climbing
(AmIn the (Dm)purple (Am)sky
(Am)Night (Dm)winds are a (Am)humming
(E7)This (E7)tender lulla(Am)by (G7)

Cares of the (C)day have fled
My little (Dm)sleepy(Fm)head
(Fm)Stars are (G7)in the (C)sky G7
Time that the (C)prayers were said
My little (Dm)sleepy(Fm)head
To a (C)prairie (G7)lulla(C)by

Saddle up your pony
The sandman's here
To guide you down
The trail of dreams
Tumble in bed, my baby
My little sleepyhead
To a prairie lullaby.

Michael Nesmith tabs.