Origin: Beans Bacon and Gravy

Subject: Status of Beans Bacon & Gravy
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 20 Oct 02 - 12:25 PM

I've got troubles, and maybe someone can help.

I submitted my rendition of Beans, Bacon and Gravy to Amos for inclusion in the forthcoming Mudcat CD(s), along with two other songs.
I need to provide clearance to Amos as to copyright, Public Domain, or whatever.

I've Googled this title and, while I found some references, don't find any listing that shows who wrote it or when. I've known and sung this song for about fifty years now, and I don't have any idea where I learned it. It's in the DT, with two presumably PD tunes, but no notation as to who, if anyone identifiable, wrote the words.

I found a listing that says it appears on two Pete Seeger (PeteSeeger04 and PeteSeeger13), but I don't happen to have those recordings to see how it is attributed there.

Can anyone help with attribution of this great old song?

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Status of Beans Bacon & Gravy
From: MMario
Date: 20 Oct 02 - 12:30 PM

In 1975 Peter Yarrow recorded it on his album "Hard Times" attributed to traditional, arrangment P. Yarrow.

Subject: RE: Status of Beans Bacon & Gravy
From: Giac
Date: 20 Oct 02 - 01:28 PM

Found this at this site:

http://www.bluegrassmessengers.com/master/beansbaconandgravy.html

BEANS, BACON AND GRAVY (Melody of "Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane")
Old-Time, Song Tune. Words Traditional; Music by William Shakespeare Hays, 1837-1907 ARTIST: Cisco Houston; CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes DATE: (1871)
RECORDING INFO: Carson, Fiddlin' John. Old Hen Cackled and the Rooster's Gonna Crow, Rounder 1003, LP (1987), cut# 1. Clark, Carroll C.. Minstrels and Tunesmiths, JEMF 109, LP (1981), cut#B.07. George, Franklin/Frank. Swope's Knobs, Anachronistic 001, LP (1977), cut#3.07a. Kincaid, Bradley. Mountain Ballads and Old Time Solos. Album Number Six, Bluebonnet BL 123, LP (1963), cut#A.01. Mainer, Wade. Old Time Banjo Tunes, Old Homestead OHS-90168, LP (1984), cut#A.01 (Little Log Cabin in/by the Lane). Pegram, George. Union Grove, The Hub of the Universe, Union Grove SS-4, LP (1970), cut# 3. Pegram, George. George Pegram, Rounder 0001, LP (1970), cut# 3. Pegram, George. O Love Is Teasin', Elektra BLP-12051, LP (1985), cut#1.14 . Possum Hunters. Death on Lee Highway, Takoma A-1010, LP (196?), cut# 2 (Little Log Cabin in/by the Lane). Seeger, Peggy. Our Singing Heritage. Vol I, Elektra EKL-151, LP (195?), cut# 3. Tennessee River Boys. Good Old Mountain Music, Cumberland MGC 29505, LP (196?), cut# 1 (Log Cabin in the Lane); Houston, Cisco. Cisco Houston Sings Songs of the Open Road, Folkways FA 2480 (Beans Bacon and Gravy), LP (1960), cut#B.04 Jones, Clark. Early American Folk Music Music & Songs, Folkways FTS 31091, LP (1982), cut# 10;Seeger, Pete. American Industrial Ballads, Folkways FH 5251, LP (1956), cut#B.05
OTHER NAMES: Little Old Cabin down the Lane; Lily of the Valley ; Parodies (Little Old Sod Shanty (on the Claim) ; Little Red Caboose Behind the Train . RELATED TO: Jesse James
SOURCES: Traditional Music in America, Folklore Associates, Bk (1940/1965), p281 NOTES: The song was written and published in 1871 by a Kentucky riverman turned vaudeville songwriter, Will Hayes. It was recorded in October, 1925 for Edison by Fiddlin' Cowan Powers and Family, who had waxed an earlier version for Victor, in August, 1924 (though for that particular side the Victor company brought in Carson Robison to perform the vocal). The piece was first released in 1923, however, when Fiddlin' John Carson's (north Georgia) version became the second best-selling country music record for that year. Yet another performance, Ernest Stoneman's, made the charts that decade, in 1926 when his version became the fifth best-selling country music record. This popular melody has spawned a number of parodies and has been used for the songs: Hungry Hash House (Blues) ; Fiddle and Bow ; Little Joe, the Wrangler.

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Hope this helps,
Mary

Subject: RE: Status of Beans Bacon & Gravy
From: Amos
Date: 20 Oct 02 - 02:18 PM

Thanks, Mary!! Much appreciated.

This one is safe for use, I am sure -- Dave's arrangement is not likely to be confused with anyone else's, and the traditional roots are clear.

I hate having to paw through this stuff but am grateful for youe help.

Was a time when singing was never thought a crime unless you woke someone up at 4 AM with it!! O, tempora, o mores!


A

Subject: RE: Status of Beans Bacon & Gravy
From: sed
Date: 20 Oct 02 - 06:33 PM

I learned it from an imported lp made by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger over 30 years ago. 'Oh, those beans, bacon and gravy, they almost drive me crazy; I eat 'em till I see 'em in my dreams.'
Seems like the lyric mentions "I was born long ago in 1894 and I've seen many a panic I will own. I been hungry; I been cold and now I'm growin' old but the worst I've seen was 1931...." So my cuz, Robt. Zimmermann, might not have written this one......
Somebody ask Peggy Seeger. She's one of those walkin' encyclopedias....