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30 Oct 19 - 11:49 PM (#4016253) Subject: Origins: Peter Jones /Erie canal song From: GUEST,Julia L Here's a couple lines from a song sung by Oliver Jenness of York Maine to Helen Flanders Peter Jones was a Schenectady boy and a lad both brave and bold He shipped before the mast on the Erie Canal to sail the waters cold He goes on to run off with the captain's daughter. The captain "swears a big three story oath" and crowns Peter with the anchor..! Anyone know this song or anything about it? I'm trying to fill gaps in the lyrics thanks Julia |
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31 Oct 19 - 12:35 AM (#4016263) Subject: RE: Origins: Peter Jones /Erie canal song From: Mrrzy Check a thread on "captain's daughter" Julia... |
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31 Oct 19 - 09:09 AM (#4016321) Subject: RE: Origins: Peter Jones /Erie canal song From: Dave Ruch Very interesting Julia, hadn't seen this before. Could you post the full text of the song here? And did Flanders get a tune/melody for this? |
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31 Oct 19 - 09:29 AM (#4016323) Subject: RE: Origins: Peter Jones /Erie canal song From: Jeri If anyone would know the answer, it would be George Ward. |
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31 Oct 19 - 07:22 PM (#4016480) Subject: RE: Origins: Peter Jones /Erie canal song From: GUEST,Julia L Here are the lyrics as I heard them. I have a pdf of the tune which I can post if someone tells me how PETER JONES Helen Hartness Flanders Collection Oliver Jenness York Village, Maine 1941 D13A Side B 3:54 /4:15 Peter Jones was a Schenectady boy and a lad both brave and bold He shipped before the mast on the Erie canal to sail the waters cold He didn't pay his dues too faithfully ? and upward he did crawl To the cap'n and the mate of the schooner Polly Ann on the ragin' Erie Canal There was old Bill Smith was a pirate ---- and a pirate too was he He never was known to spend a cent or to treat the company *He gambled --and -- too and he stood near seven foot tall He---- all the whisky shops on the ragin' Erie Canal *But he had a daughter ----Hil? she was just sixteen years old as in Hillary? She tumbled into love with Peter Jones that gallant sailor bold *She quickly--- her father's--- and out of the stern did crawl And sailed away with Peter Jones on the ragin' Erie Canal *When Old Bill Smith found that Hil? was gone oh much enraged was he He took a big drink of Schenectady rum and it went into his head *He swore a big three story oath as he staggered down the street Saying shiver my timbers and blast my eyes if I don't get square with Pete Peter Jones was aboard at the stern of his craft and attending to his biz Little did he think that old Bill Smith had got his dander riz But he crept aboard so sneakily ------ And grabbed up the anchor in both of his hands and broke the young man's head When old Bill Smith see what he had done he was very much surprised He swore another oath and overboard he went ----- the Erie Canal That's all. |
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01 Nov 19 - 02:48 PM (#4016645) Subject: RE: Origins: Peter Jones /Erie canal song From: Dave Ruch Thanks so much Julia. I found a recording of Jenness singing it on archive.org so I've got his tune now, varied as it is. I'd say you did a remarkable job deciphering the lyrics. |
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01 Nov 19 - 02:54 PM (#4016647) Subject: RE: Origins: Peter Jones /Erie canal song From: Dave Ruch Lots of ocean references within the song (gallant sailor, shipped before the mast, schooner, pirate), which is not uncommon for Erie Canal songs in the "tongue in cheek" sense. And the repeated references to "the ragin' Canal" point toward the 19th century, as "The Raging Canal" was the most well known Erie Canal song before the 20th century. |
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01 Nov 19 - 03:00 PM (#4016648) Subject: RE: Origins: Peter Jones /Erie canal song From: Joe Offer Hi, Julia - email the pdf to me and I can post it. joe@mudcat.org |