Lyr Req: Where the Lazy Murray River Rolls Along

Subject: Where the Lazy Murray River Rolls Along
From: CRANKY YANKEE
Date: 10 Mar 01 - 05:14 PM

During the Korean War, while I was stationed in Japan an Australian Buddy had a record of this song by Slim Dusty, "the yodeling Jackaroo" The melody is "Little Old Sod Shanty On my Claim" which appears to be the basis for almost all bluegrass ballads, including my "Blue Water Bluegrass" song, "Happy Home in Newport by the Sea" which (I make no bones about it) was inspired by a Mac Wiseman song about Tennesee.

Jody Gibson

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Where the Lazy Murray River Rolls Al
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 10 Mar 01 - 06:42 PM

G'day Jody,

As Slim is still out there singing - if not always yodelling - after 50 or more years (he just got two postage stamps from Australia Post - one portrait from the '50s and a contemporary one) there must be hundreds of his records about. I seem to remember hearing 500 as a figure, some time ago.) I'll try to find a site (bookmarked on another machine?) that is fairly comprehensive. Actually, I seem to remember that Burl, in another thread, mentioned Slim then looked up a 'Slim Dusty' web site.

It's interesting that you say Little Old Sod Shanty On my Claim is the basis of almost all Bluegtrass ballads. I know how widespread this tune - going back through Little Old Log Cabin On the Plain ultimately (?) to the Methodist hymn He's the Lily Of the Valley and found all over the English-speaking world ... and America ;-).

I keep mentioning He's the Lily Of the Valley in various folk circles as being a very old hymn ... and one lady at my Monday Night Workshop proceeded to sing it all to me! So, I guess it has lasted pretty well in the original, too.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Where the Lazy Murray River Rolls Al
From: CRANKY YANKEE
Date: 13 May 01 - 08:16 PM

Isn't there one Aussie who know the words to this song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Where the Lazy Murray River Rolls Al
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 13 May 01 - 11:16 PM

G'day CRAZY YANKEE,

I still have my friend up at Boolaroo looking for this one. It is out of my territory ... more Country (probably why nobody else has chipped in!) but there has to someone with a few 50-year-old 78s of Slim. (Actually, I have to talk to the National Library's sound and movie preservation arm, FilmScreem, so I should also check with them.)

Regards,

Bob bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Where the Lazy Murray River Rolls Al
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 27 May 01 - 09:06 AM

G'day CRAZY YANKEE,

My friend Jim reports that he has indeed found a copy of the recording and will send me the words (and a tape?) soon. I will pass on what I get ... whenever. He has been away in South Australia, finding all sorts of thing that interest him greatly and now he is sorting through the spoils.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Where the Lazy Murray River Rolls Al
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 11 Jun 01 - 11:24 PM

G'day again CRAZY YANKEE,

Maybe (~?) I know why I have had so much trouble finding this one. I was talking to Les Partell at the Illawarra Folk gathering over the Queen's Birthday Weekend (just past). Les is rougly contemporary with Slim Dusty, grew up, and stills lives, in the same part of New South Wales and is a singer / songwriter as well as a radio presenter for the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) country music programmes.

Les reckons that Slim never recorded Where the Lazy Murray River Rolls Along ... but Buddy Williams did. He reckons Slim may have sung the song, but it is not on any of his records. I don't have that detailed knowledge myself. Anyway, the record that my friend Jim Dangarfield is (presumably) getting around to copying and sending to me is, indeed, by Buddy Williams. I will pass on the words when i get it!

BTW: Les also says that Where the Lazy Murray River Rolls Along is a straight steal from the Carter Family's song Where the Silvery Colorado Winds Its Way (~?). Presumably all are to the Little Old Sod Shanty On my Claim tune ... a very popular little tune, indeed.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Where the Lazy Murray River Rolls Al
From: Chicken Charlie
Date: 12 Jun 01 - 04:31 PM

I've heard a complementary bit of info. My chief reason for believing it is that it was told to me by a person named Harry.

Now, seriously: I have heard that "Little Log Cabin on the Plain" was Burl Ives' sanitized version of "Little Log Cabin Down the Lane." The theory is that Ives really didn't want to bring up any references to race whatsoever, so he moved the context from the Reconstruction Era South to the Homestead Era West. It is at least consistent with this that on his version of Blue Tail Fly, he says "the Boss" in place of "Massuh."

I heard/saw Jules Appert perform "Little Log Cabin Down the Lane" on a video called "Times Ain't What They Used to Be, Vol. I." It's a wonderful song, really, that demonstrates that in the cosmic scheme of things, there is no free lunch. Emancipation having happened, one ex-slave who is too old and feeble to take advantage of it is left on the plantation, missing all his old friends. His only company is Massuh and his Missus, who have moved into the slave quarters since presumably the Damnyankees burned down the Big House. The "problem" as Ives is supposed to have seen it is that it contains the D-word (shudder), even though used by one African to refer to others.

Does this mesh with what you see from your perspective as far as the history of these various versions is concerned?

CC

Subject: Lyr Add: WHERE THE LAZY MURRAY RIVER ROLLS ALONG
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 29 Aug 01 - 09:03 AM

G'day CRAZY YANKEE,

Well, my mate Jim finally sent me the cassette of Buddy Williams singing his song Where the lazy Murray River Rolls Alaong!

Here are the words (and an attempt to write down the yodel!).
WHERE THE LAZY MURRAY RIVER ROLLS ALONG
Buddy Williams

The twilight softly gathers round my hut out on the plains
And nature's settled down in peace to rest.
As I sit down by the riverside, my heart is filled with pain
And I dream of the girl that I love best.

We were married in the springtime, I remember well and plain,
The bells seemed to ring a happy song.
Now, beneath the bed of violets, she is sleeping free from pain,
Where the Lazy Murray River rolls along.

There's a sigh on every breeze, there's sobbing in the trees,
The birds seem to sing the saddest song;
For the sunshine plays no more, round our little homestead door,
Where the Lazy Murray River rolls along.

The silv'ry moon is shining, down by the riverside
Where we often used to wander, she and I.
I can almost hear her singing, feel her arms around me clinging
As she did in those happy days gone by.

Our lives were gay and happy in our world of love and dreams.
My love for her grew very deep and strong
But I feel her presence near me as I sit alone tonight,
Where the Lazy Murray River rolls along.

There's a sigh on every breeze, there's sobbing in the trees,
The birds seem to sing the saddest song;
For the sunshine plays no more, round our little homestead door,
Where the Lazy Murray River rolls along.

Yodaloa odeladi odaloh odeladeedee de dee dee …
Yodaloa odeladi odaloh odeladeedee de dee dee …
Yodalaee – dee – ee - a – dee-dee dee …
Yodaloa odeladi odaloh odela-i-dee

I haven't attempted to write down the dots - the tune is pretty well The Little Old Log Cabin ... where ever, but it does vary, verse to verse.

I might work out how to save it to MP3 ... if you have worked out how to deal with them.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Where the Lazy Murray River Rolls Al
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 09:21 AM

G'day again CRAZY YANKEE,

I'll re-offer the MP3 ... I've worked out how to save to this format from Cakewalk Pro.

I'm starting to feel like I am piloting a folkmusical Tardis - first my friend Jim tracked down a scratchy old 78 rpm record ... and copied it onto cassette tape ... then I captureed that onto my computer in WAV format (suitable for making CDs) ... and now I have exported it a an MP3 so that it can be e-mailed across the world ... I think it is getting to me!

Anyway, I can send the MP3 - if you have the wherewithal to play it - and you can relive the hearing, back nealry 50 years ago, in Korea. The recording is by Buddy Wi9lliams, who wrote the song. As far as I can see, Slim Dusty did not record it (although he may have sung it in his shows ... they weren't recorded (except one from 1956, 'pirated from the hall onto a wire recorder and released on pirate (home-cut!) LP at £5 a pop (...!) and now remastered to CD ...

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Where the Lazy Murray River Rolls Al
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Aug 01 - 06:22 PM

Old songs never die. They just get remastered!