Lyr Req/Add: When the Wagon Was New (McGee)

Subject: when the wagon was new
From: GUEST,jinks dulcimer player
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:20 PM

hey anyone !!

i am looking for a copyright date of "when the wagon was new" i cant seem to find on net,,

thanks jinks

Subject: RE: when the wagon was new
From: Bill in Alabama
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:33 PM

jinks-- I searching, but I haven't found it yet. I'll bet that Dale Rose will know this one, and Dale checks in her regularly.

Subject: RE: when the wagon was new
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:39 PM

Hi, Jinks - on her Unclaimed Pint CD, Sally Rogers says the song is traditional. Rogers learned it from Sharon McInturff, who learned it from a recording of Sam McGee, who learned it from an Illinois traveler in the 1930's.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: when the wagon was new
From: Dale Rose
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:45 PM

I'm here (right on Joe's heels) It seems like there should be something more definitive as far as date. I just recently heard the song done live, and will have to check around some.

(At least I didn't get beat by three years, Joe)

Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN THE WAGON WAS NEW
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:47 PM

WHEN THE WAGON WAS NEW
as sung by Sam and Kirk McGee

Just an old rusty wagon that's left to rot away.
The one we used to ride in back in the good-old days.
People all loved their neighbors, everybody was so free.
And riding in the brand new wagon was something to see.

CHORUS:
Oh, I can see my daddy riding up in the wagon seat.
Mama in her new sun-bonnet, she looked so nice and neat.
Children all in the wagon, Grandma, Grampa, too.
We used to go to church on Sunday when the wagon was new.

Red wheels was on the wagon and the body it was green.
But we was just as happy as riding in a limousine.
People would come and gather 'round from all the mountainside
Take a look at our brand new wagon and all take a ride.

CHORUS

But the automobile is here now and the wagon days are through.
Air-o-planes a'hummin', good neighbors are so few.
Everybody's in a hurry and it's money that gets you through.
But we didn't need much money when the wagon was new.

CHORUS

(from the Sally Rogers recording, "The Unclaimed Pint."
JRO

Subject: RE: when the wagon was new
From: Dale Rose
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:52 PM

But then I didn't post the lyrics, either!

Subject: RE: when the wagon was new
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 06:58 PM

I cheated and used my scanner, Dale. The OCR read it absolutely perfectly. All I had to do was add the <br> line breaks.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: when the wagon was new
From: Stewie
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 07:11 PM

The Sam McGee album does not have any publishing details - only what Joe said: that he learned it from a visitor from Illinois.

BMI has 2 listings for the title - by a Johnny K. Elgin (Second Base Music) and another by a William York (Fort Knox Music and Trio Music).

click here

Stewie.

Subject: RE: when the wagon was new
From: Stewie
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 07:18 PM

Actually, you will see there are 3 - I overlooked Purdom (APRS). Does this mean these are 3 different songs or different arrangements of a single song or what?

Stewie.

Subject: RE: when the wagon was new
From: Dale Rose
Date: 19 Apr 00 - 07:28 PM

Take a look at the list of songs claimed by William York, and you'll see that he was quite the prolific "writer". Checking any number of the old Stardays will turn his name up as writer of a huge number of songs. For example, I just checked one album by Jim Glaser, Just Looking For A Home, Starday 158. He gets credit for all but Dark As A Dungeon ~~ Merle Travis. What did he write??? Tom Dooley, The Riddle Song, The Dying Hobo, Careless Love, Bill Bailey, Midnight Special, Boll Weevil, Poor Boy, Erie Canal, The Frozen Logger, Worried Man Blues. Judge for yourself.

Subject: RE: when the wagon was new
From: GUEST,jinks
Date: 20 Apr 00 - 10:22 AM

thanks ya'll was great to find soooooooo many that knew about the song.... i seem to find lots of thses tunes no-one knows , when they were done. i use them at Mountain View , playing at the Folk Center.... everything i play has to be before 1941....... thanks again jinks

Subject: RE: when the wagon was new
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 20 Apr 00 - 01:02 PM

Jinks, bet I know you. Do you play a courtin' dulcimer? On the matter of William York, according to Dr. William K. McNeil, whom I've referred to as Dr. Bill on occasion, the name was frequently used by publishers for a tune thought to be in public domain. On the other matter of authorship of "When the Wagon Was New", Dr. Bill was told by Sam McGhee that he had written the song around 1920. The song was copyrighted in 1971, which was the same year I saw Sam McGhee at the World Exposition in Montreal. At his performance there, he claimed authorship.

Subject: RE: when the wagon was new
From: GUEST,jinks
Date: 20 Apr 00 - 09:30 PM

hi arkie i live in AR too .. cabot ... dont play a courtin dulcimer, but i do play at flok center.. heading that way tomorrow for contest. i will be the one inthe black hat !!!! lol stop and say HI

jinks