Tune Req: Lynchburg Town

Subject: LYNCHBURG TOWN
From: GUEST,Jeep Man
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 12:43 PM

Folks, I need help on this one. The words and a midi are in the DT, but I need to hear this in order to learn it. I remember it from my younger days and would like to perform it. Thanks, Jeep

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Subject: RE: Tune Req: LYNCHBURG TOWN
From: Frank Maher (extra)
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 01:38 PM

I have It on MP3 if You want It!!! [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Tune Req: LYNCHBURG TOWN
From: Sorcha
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 03:43 PM

Jim, I don't quite understand--why can't you just listen to the midi file over and over? (Yea, I know you're chord challenged, grin)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: LYNCHBURG TOWN
From: Jeep man
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 09:03 PM

Thanks, Frank.I just sent you an email.

Hey Sorcha, I can't make sense out of that midi. Doesn't sound like the tune I kinda remember.

Thanks, guys. Jim (Chronically Chord Confused and Challanged)

Subject: Lyr Add: GOIN' DOWN TO TOWN (from Sandburg)
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 09:15 PM

The DT has one version of this song, from Lomax, "Our Singing Country." The Traditional Ballad Index (cufresno) only traces the song back to 1927, in spite of the fact that it has been reported numerous times by ballad and Negro song collectors. Verses are many and varied, but the chorus with the words "Toting my tobaccer down," or "To carry my tobacco down, " or "To sell my 'bacca down," etc. is fairly constant.
It seems to have originated with the minstrels, as so many songs did, and was taken up by both Negroes and whites and made their own. White, N. I., 1928, "American Negro Folk Songs," found it in "Negro Singers' Own Book," ca. 1846, in "A Going Along Down," p. 56, and "Lynchburg Town," p. 157; also in "Ethiopian Serenaders' Own Book," 1857(?) in "Lynchburg Town," p. 80; and in "Christy's Nigga Songster." The song persisted and it was collected in North Carolina from blacks in 1909 and 1915-1916 (I'm gwine down to Richmond town) and in 1925 (Vicksburg town) by Scarborough.
A still older version does not have the usual chorus, and the lyrics are quite different, but the relationship seems to be evident;
JONNY BOKER OR THE BROKEN YOKE

Chorus:
As I went up to Lynchburg town,
I broke my yoke on de coaling ground;
I drove from dare to bowling spring,
And tried for to mend my yoke and ring.
Etc.
From Sweeney's Virginia Melodies pub. 1840, composer unknown. The words and sheet music may be found at Levy's Sheet Music website. Changes in the lyrics would have to be made in order to perform it today, but the verses are basically interesting and the effort to revise it could be worth the effort.

Sandburg (1927), has a slightly different version of Lynchburg Town in his "American Songbag," p. 145, under the title "Goin' Down To Town." (with music)

Lyr. Add: GOIN' DOWN TO TOWN

I used to have an old grey horse,
He weighed ten thousand pounds,
Every tooth he had in his head,
Was eighteen inches around.

That horse he had a holler tooth,
He could eat ten bushels of corn,
Ev'ry time he opened his mouth,
Ten bushels and a half were gone.

I had a yaller gal,
I brought her from the south,
All the fault I had with her,
She had too big a mouth.

I took her down to the blacksmith shop,
To get her mouth made small,
She opened her mouth to get a breath,
And swallowed blacksmith, shop and all.

I'm a-goin' to get me some sticks and sand,
To make my chimney higher,
To keep that dog-goned old tom cat,
From puttin' out my fire.

Chorus:
I'm a-goin' down to town,
I'm a-goin' down to town,
I'm a-goin' down to Lynchburg town,
To carry my tobacco down.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: LYNCHBURG TOWN
From: masato sakurai
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 09:29 PM

The version in the Levy Collection Click here and on page number below):

Title: Sweeny's Virginia Melodies. Jonny Boker, or, De Broken Yoke in de Coaling Ground. The Original Banjo Song.
Composer, Lyricist, Arranger: na
Publication: Boston: Henry Prentiss, 33 Court St., 1840.
Form of Composition: strophic with chorus
Instrumentation: piano and voice
First Line: As I went up to Lynchburg town, I broke my yoke on de coaling ground
First Line of Chorus: O Jonny Boker help dat nigger do Jonny Boker do
Performer: As sung with great applause at the Tremont Theatre, By J.W. Sweeny
Engraver, Lithographer, Artist: R. Cooke, del. B.W. Thayer's Lith. Boston

~Masato

Subject: RE: Tune Req: LYNCHBURG TOWN
From: masato sakurai
Date: 27 Apr 02 - 01:53 AM

"Linchburg Town" by The McKenzies (mp3) is HERE.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Tune Req: LYNCHBURG TOWN
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Apr 02 - 02:00 AM

Dicho, I believe the Traditional Ballad Index dates songs only by the reference books their contributors have indexed. I've seen a few where they say the earliest documented source was 1928, but that it's obvious the song is a hundred years older.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Tune Req: LYNCHBURG TOWN
From: Rolfyboy6
Date: 27 Apr 02 - 09:54 AM

Is "broke my yoke on the coalin' groun'" a reference to charcoal, or to use of coal for drying tobacco or what? I'm interested in the pre-civil war economy, especially in the south since it was so different from the present day. Is the Sweeney of Sweeny's Plantation Melodies, Joel Walker Sweeny, the well known white minstrel performer (credited with adding a string to the 5-string)?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: LYNCHBURG TOWN
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Apr 02 - 12:16 PM

In reverse order- it does seem that this is the same Sweeney, but I haven't looked it up.
Here is the entire song, which doesn't say whether he was hauling coal or charcoal with his steers and cart. It sheds light on the times (1840) and is more of a "story" song than most minstrel pieces.

Lyr. Add: JONNY BOKER OR THE BROKEN YOKE

As I went up to Lynchburg town,
I broke my yoke on de coaling ground;
I drove from dare to bowling spring,
And I tried for to mend my yoke and ring.

Chorus:
O Jonny Boker, help dat nigger do,
Jonny Boker, do.

I drove from dare to Wright's ole shop
Hollered to my driver and told him to stop;
Says I, Mr Wright, have you got a yoke?
He seized his bellows and blew up a smoke
O Jonny Boker, etc.

Says I, Mr Wright, habn't long to stay
He cotched up his hammer, knocked right away;
Soon as he mended my staple and ring
Says I, Mr Wright, do you charge any thing?
O Jonny Boker, etc.

Says he to me I neber charge
Unless de job is werry large;
For little jobs dat is so small
I neber charge any ting at all
O Jonny Boker, etc.
(Save three cents dat time)

I drove from dar to Anthony's mill
And tried to pull up dat are hill
I whipped my steers and pushed my cart
But all I could do, I couldn't make a start
O Jonny Boker, etc.
(Dat ole nigger was fast stalled dat time)

I put my shoulder to the wheel
Upon de ground I placed my heel;
Den we make a mighty strain
But all our efforts prove in vain
O Jonny Boker, etc.

Dare come a waggoner driving by
I sat on de ground and 'gan to cry;
Says me to him some pity take
And help me up for conscience sake
O Jonny Boker, etc.

Says he to me, I will help thee
He tak out his horses No. 3;
I wiped from my eyes the falling tears
He hitched his horses before my steers
O Jonny Boker, etc.,

Den to me he did much please
He pulled me up with so much ease
His horses were so big and strong
De way dey pulled dis nigger along
O Jonny Boker, etc.

@minstrel @work
Details on publication are given by Masato Sakurai, in a post above, with a click to the Levy Collection where the sheet music is shown.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: LYNCHBURG TOWN
From: Jeep man
Date: 27 Apr 02 - 02:09 PM

You folks as usual are great! I think I can get it now. Jim

Subject: RE: Tune Req: LYNCHBURG TOWN
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Apr 04 - 04:44 PM

Wolf Folklore Collection has a brief version from Arkansas, similar to the Johnny Boker-Wright's shop version.

Lyr. Add: Ise Gwine Down to Rhody's

As I drove down to Writht's old shop,
Called to my driver and I told him to stop.

Cho.
And I'se going down to Rhody's
To see old Rhody's daughter.

Says I, "Mr. Wright, will you mend my yoke?"
He jumped at the bellows and he blowed out smoke.

Says I, "Mr. Wright, do you charge anything?
Just for to mend my steeple and the ring."

"These little jobs, they are so small,
I hardly make any charge at all."

As I drove down to Swinner's mill,
The mud sucked in my old hind wheel.

Popped my whip and I shake my line,
My fingers tingle in the wintertime.

I popped my whip and it popped so loud,
Drawed the lightning through the cloud.

Ise gwine Down
Sung by J. A. Latham, 1961.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: LYNCHBURG TOWN
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 18 Apr 04 - 04:57 PM

Hit Submit by mistake.

Ise gwine Down to Rhody's, con't.

Popped my whip, leader sprung,
Trace chain broke and my wagon hung.

I stuck my shoulder to the wheel,
And in the ground I stuck my heel.

All my efforts was in vain,
Although I made an awful strain.

A rainy day and a muddy road,
Sorry team, and an awful load.

Oh, I sat down to take a cry,
Saw a man come driving by.

Says i, "Old mister, for conscience's sake,
Will you help this darky out of a state?"

He hitched his horses before my steers;
From my eyes I wiped my tears.

The horses being big and strong,
God! They moved the old nigger along.