Lyr Add: Swannanoa Tunnel 2

07 Mar 00 - 06:08 PM (#191428)
Subject: Swannanoa Tunnel 2 ^^
From: Stewie

SWANNANOA TUNNEL 2
(Traditional)

I'm going back to the Swannanoa Tunnel
That's my home, baby, that's my home

Asheville Junction, Swannanoa Tunnel
All caved in, baby, all caved in

Last December I remember
The wind blowed cold, baby, the wind blowed cold

When you hear my watchdog howling
Somebody around, baby, somebody around

When you hear that hoot owl squalling
Somebody dying, baby, somebody dying

Hammer falling from my shoulder
All day long, baby, all day long

Ain't no hammer in this mountain
Out rings mine, baby, out rings mine

This old hammer it killed John Henry
It didn't kill me, baby, couldn't kill me

Riley Gardner, he killed my partner
He couldn't kill me, baby, he couldn't kill me

This old hammer it rings like silver
It shines like gold, baby, it shines like gold

Take this hammer, throw it in the river
It rings right on, baby, it shines right on

Some of these days I'll see that woman
Well that's no dream, baby, that's no dream

Source: Bascom Lamar Lunsford 'Ballads, Banjo Tunes and Sacred Songs of Western North Carolina' Smithsonian Folkways SF CD 40082.
PS.

This is much longer than the version that currently appears in the DT. The performance of it by Lunsford on the CD is simply wonderful.

--Stewie.

^^

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07 Mar 00 - 08:00 PM (#191480)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Swannanoa Tunnel 2
From: Sandy Paton

Paul Clayton sang a song he called "Red Clay Country," that I think he collected in either Virginia or over the West Virginia line in the Cumberlands, which contained many of these verses. It's probably on one of Paul's Folkways albums.

Stewie, you're doing a great job, adding these traditional gems to the DT. Keep it up!

Sandy

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07 Mar 00 - 10:42 PM (#191597)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Swannanoa Tunnel 2
From: dick greenhaus

If you want to hear Lunceford sing it, CAMSCO can provide the recording.

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08 Mar 00 - 01:00 AM (#191701)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Swannanoa Tunnel 2
From: Rasta

now theres an old tune , I first heard Erik Darling cut this on an album . I think the album was called (full stop) He standing in front of a stop sign with his banjo and guitar somehow straped to the stop sign. I think it was on electra recors----rastaaaaa

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14 Apr 09 - 03:33 PM (#2611158)
Subject: Lyr Add: Swannanoa Tunnel (Memory Coll.)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

Lunsford varied the lyrics, no two versions are exactly the same.


Lyr. Add: SWANNANOA TUNNEL
Lunsford's "Memory Coll.," Berea College

1
Ashville (G)Junction, The Swannanoa Tunnel,
all caved in, baby, (C)all caved (G)in.
I'm (C)a-going (G)back to that Swannanoa Tunnel,
That's my home, baby, (D)that's my (G)home.
2
When you hear that watchdog a-howlin',
Somebody 'round, baby, somebody 'round.
When you hear that hoot owl a-squallin',
Somebody dyin', baby, somebody dyin'.
3
When you hear my pistol firing,
Somebody dead, baby, somebody dead.
Riley Gardner killed my partner,
Coudn't kill me, baby, couldn't kill me.
4
Last December, I remember,
The wind blowed cold, baby, the wind blowed cold.
The hammer fallin' from my shoulder,
All day long, baby, all day long.
5
Ain't no hammer in this mountain
Outrings mine, baby, outrings mine.
This old hammer, it rings like silver,
It shines like gold, baby, shines like gold.
6
Take-a this hammer and throw it in the river,
It rings right on, baby, it shines right on.
I'm a-goin' back to the Swannanoa Tunnel,
That's my home, baby, that's my home.
7
Some of these days, it won't be long,
I'm goin' home, baby, I'm goin' home.
Some of these days I'll see that woman,
That's no dream, baby, that's no dream.

pp. 236-236, with musical score, 4/4;
Loyal Jones, 1984, "Minstrel of the Appalachians, The Story of Bascom Lamar Lunsford," Appalachian Consortium Press, Boone, NC.
Copied from Lunsford's "Memory Collection," held by Berea College.

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