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29 Jul 01 - 06:46 AM (#517047) Subject: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: GUEST,geniesings@hotmail.com You Are My Sunshine is nearly always attributed to the recently deceased Jimmie Davis, Louisiana's sometime "singing governor," and the copyright is given as 1940. A retirement home resident recently told me that another man had written it and Jimmie Davis took credit for it. [Also my mother and several others of her generation swear that they heard the song as children, which would have been in the 1920s. I have also heard, alternately, that the song was inspired by Davis's horse, Sunshine, or that the horse was named after the song. If you have the real dope on this, I'd like to hear from you. |
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29 Jul 01 - 07:46 AM (#517070) Subject: Lyr Add: YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE (J Davis/C Mitchell) From: Tiger My records co-credit Charles Mitchell. I suspect it's a collaboration - that Jimmie didn't 'steal' it, as he has lots of other songs to his credit. I'd be interested in your opinions on why this song is always portrayed as rollicking and happy - the lyrics seem to say otherwise. My theory is that folks only know the chorus and just assume it's supposed to be happy. Here's the whole thing, including the scarce other verses:
You Are My Sunshine
The other night dear, as I lay sleeping,
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I miss you. Please don't take my sunshine away.
I'll always love you and make you happy,
You told me once, dear, you really loved me
In all my dreams, you seem to leave me, |
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29 Jul 01 - 08:14 AM (#517081) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca A lot of places do not credit the words but the DT says the same as Tiger. It's inspirational, reading some of the stories associated with the song, such as this one: |
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29 Jul 01 - 08:46 AM (#517087) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Stewie Evidently, a Japanese country music historian, Toru Mitsui, devoted an entire monograph to this matter which he delivered at the 6th Annual Country Music Conference, Meridian, Mississippi on 26 May 1989: 'You Are My Sunshine: A Question of Authorship'. Tony Russell gives a brief account in his booklet to the second Bear Family box set of Davis' complete recordings. It is a tangled web, but the key facts are as follows: There were 2 recordings of the song before Davis' 1940 recording: in August 1939 (Bluebird B-8263) by the Pine Ridge Boys (Marvin Taylor and Doug Spivey), a vocal duo from Atlanta; and in September 1939 (De 5763) by the Rice Brothers Gang, a band originally from north Georgia led by guitarists Hoke and Paul Rice. Davis and Charles Mitchell bought the song from Paul Rice for $35 to help him pay his wife's hospital bills. The new Davis-Mitchell copyright was published by Southern Music on 30 January 1940, 6 days before Davis put it on record. Though Mitchell's name appears on the copyright listing, he had already sold his half share to Davis. On the other hand, Doug Spivey told Georgia country music historian, Wayne Daniel, that he and Taylor had got it from a lady singer from South Carolina who had 'got it from some fellow there'. She said: 'Take the song. Do with it what you want to'. Spivey has a half-confirmation from Paul Rice who said he got the idea after reading a 17-page letter from a girl from South Carolina who 'was talking about I was her sunshine and I got the idea for a song and put a tune to it'. Russell points out that, despite the clear account of how he bought it, Davis always maintained that he had written it himself, that he had been singing it for years before 1940 and that he had recorded it several times (before 1940) but not satisfactorily enough for it to be issued. Russell comments that his 'discography provides no evidence to support any of these claims. Mitsui quoted from the 'Shreveport Times' Horace Logan's opinion that the Rice brothers got the idea for 'Sunshine' from a refrain in an old Hawaiian song, a theory that even Davis seemed to support: 'It's a kind of Hawaiian tune, something like', he told Mitsui. As Russell says the tune may well be older but, since the Pine Ridge Boys, Rice and Davis all used virtually the same tune, 'we can scarcely credit Davis (or Charles Mitchell) with allying it to the text'. Make of all that what you will. --Stewie. |
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29 Jul 01 - 03:14 PM (#517261) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: GUEST,geniesings@hotmail.com Tiger, Yes, I've seen Mitchell credited, too. Sometimes one is credited for lyrics, the other for melody. But the family name that the retirement home resident mentioned was something else. I think it started with an "S," but I'm not sure. |
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29 Jul 01 - 08:26 PM (#517410) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Stewie Guest, it would have been nice if you had at least acknowledged the 15 minutes I spent outlining Russell's findings for you. If you choose to set aside what Davis' discographer has uncovered, fair enough - but a little courtesy would not go astray. --Stewie. |
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30 Jul 01 - 11:27 AM (#517687) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Rick Fielding I noticed Stewie. Bit frustratin', what? Bit of an old story as well. By the way, I did a five week gig in New orleans quite a few years ago, and one of my big goals (other than entertaining the suits and pumps at The Royal Sonesta Hotel) was to actually MEET the former Guv. Did everything I could but was a bit surprised to find that I would have had to get on a LONGGG waiting list. Naturally most of the other 1000 people (or so) wanted to have him autograph their "Sunshine" records. Me? I wanted to ask him about Oscar Woods AND ESPECIALLY Snoozer Quinn! Nerds Rule! Rick |
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30 Jul 01 - 12:34 PM (#517736) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Mark Clark Anyone who used to frequent the Sunday afternoon bluegrass jams at Jimmie's Woodlawn Tap (55th & Woodlawn, Chicago) in the late '60s and early '70s may remember fiddler Artie P. Crowder the "Old Man from the Mountain." Artie P. was a one-time Tennessee State fiddle champion and always claimed to have had a hand in the writing of "You Are My Sunshine." He said Davis' chorus originally went, "...when skies are blue." His contribution was to suggest the word gray because it made more sense and rhymed with away. We never had any way to substantiate his story but those close to him swore it was true. - Mark |
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30 Jul 01 - 12:40 PM (#517743) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Mark Clark FWIW, I did a quick check and found a reference to Artie P. Crowder on the Johns Hopkins University site. Nothing from Tennessee, though. I have an album Artie P. made with Bill Jackson and friends around 1975. If there is interest, maybe I'll try to make a track or two available. - Mark |
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30 Jul 01 - 01:42 PM (#517792) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Wesley S Stewie - Even if our guest can't be bothered to say "thankyou" I will. It's one of my favorite songs and I found you info very helpful. Thanks for the time you put into it. |
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30 Jul 01 - 08:13 PM (#518016) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Art Thieme Mark, Somewhere around here I've got a tape of Artie P. and others (Fleming Brown and Davey Prine etc.) jamming at Lackey's Steakhouse in Chicago one thursday night I was gigging across the "L" tracks at No Exit. I'll strive to find that one. Art |
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30 Jul 01 - 11:21 PM (#518131) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Mark Clark Art, I'd love to hear that sometime. I have many fond memories of Artie P. and of Lackey's Steakhouse including Jan's and my wedding reception. I suppose this is thread creep but I was looking around for anything more on Artie P. and found this on a site called Cobwebs Recording. At the bottom of the page you'll see that Artie P's album has been reissued as a CD. I hadn't heard of this label before so I sent email to the address listed and received a reply back from Acie Cargill. He says he still jams with Harold Lamb and Bill Jackson and that Bill is playing better than ever. I had figured all those guys must be dead by now. I know Artie P is. - Mark
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31 Jul 01 - 02:23 PM (#518492) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: CRANKY YANKEE He di write the song. There were earlier recordings and copyright notices than 1940. The 1940 copyright by Southern Music, is the sort of thing that publishers are famous for, puting their copyright notice on some sheet music, even though they know that they aren't responsible for it's composition./ It's my opinion that almost all early country music songs were at least inspired by hawaiian music. The Hawaiian songs came to the mainland along with the Hawaian Guitar (Also called "Steel Guitar", "Dobro" etc) |
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31 Jul 01 - 10:06 PM (#518768) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: GUEST,Quincy Hey Mr. Cranky, did you even READ Stewie's well-researched post? You just state things with nothing to back them up. But my beef is with the Dobro statement. The instrument was USED in Island music-with a raised nut-but it sure didn't 'come to the mainland', it's American as apple pie, and it's MY instrument. Check thisDOBRO Quincy |
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01 Aug 01 - 12:19 AM (#518815) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: DougR I can't prove it, of course, but in my own mind, I'm certain I heard Jimmy Davis singing the song on the Grand Ole' Opera prior to 1940. I know we sang the song in music classes prior to that date. I wonder? Is the purpose of historical musicology to disprove the claims of musical pieces composers have claimed to have composed? From reading the posts on this thread, I have seen nothing that would definitively disprove Governor Jimmy Davis' claim. Are the "real" composers of the piece complaining? If so, I would think there would be gigantic law suits that would make the "real" composer (decendents) very rich. DougR |
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01 Aug 01 - 02:20 AM (#518845) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Stewie Doug, As you point out, there is nothing that can definitively disprove Davis' claim, but the reason for the absence of any 'gigantic law suit' may be that Paul Rice was the composer, he sold his rights to Davis-Mitchell and, subsequently, Mitchell sold his half-share to Davis. You may be interested in the following excerpt from a letter to Russell from Davis in 1986 which Russell quotes:
I recorded some [songs] that were not released for him [ie W.K. Henderson, owner of KWKH] about 1930 or '31, somewhere in there, 'Nobody's Darlin'' and 'Sunshine' were so terrible with the band they furnished me up there that I knew that my rendition of these two numbers that I had earlier recorded if they were released I would never get a contract with anybody so years later I recorded both of these after carrying them around for years. [Quoted in Tony Russell's booklet for Bear Family box set Governor Jimmie Davis 'You Are My Sunshine' BCD 16216 E1] Russell goes on to state: 'On other occasions Davis has appeared to locate pre-1940 recordings of "You Are My Sunshine" to his 1928 Columbia session, to a vaguely described Victor session in the early 1930s and to a Decca session about a year before the known recording. His discography provides no evidence to suport any of these claims'. Your recollection about hearing Davis sing the song on the Grand Ole Opry before 1940 may be faulty. In his book, 'A Good-Natured Riot: The Birth of the Grand Ole Opry' Country Music Foundation Press 1999, Dr Charles Wolfe has an appendix 2 entitled 'The Opry Roster, 1925-1940'. This lists all artists who appeared even once between those years and Davis' name does not appear at all. The key point seems to be the transaction for $35 between Paul Rice and Davis-Mitchell and, according to Russell's account, this seems to be pretty clear on the evidence available. --Stewie. |
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01 Aug 01 - 09:52 AM (#519018) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Rick Fielding No arguement with you Quincy about Dobro, however I suggest that after checking out their website, folks look at all the other "Dobro related" sites. It's a fascinating story, about one of the truly "weird" instruments of our time. Some surprising players as well. For instance: Oscar Aleman. He was a South American Indian who went to Paris in the thirties and was a contemporary and friend of Django's. Played a National/Dobro steel bodied guitar and SWUNG like CRAZY. Blistering lead lines and some of the chunkiest chords you ever heard. He has one CD available (thanks to Dave grisman) and was my "find" of two years ago. Rex Humbard. Yup, the TV evangelist of the fifties (my granny loved him as much as Wrestling!) was a GREAT Gospel singer in the forties with his wife Maude Amy. I guess he realized that on-air healing brought in a lot more money than singing I'll Fly Away, accompanied by his big silver National/Dobro Th history of "Dobro/National/Regal Resophonic" gets pretty complicated, but is well worth checking out. As far as "multiple composers go". As the others here have pointed out, it's a pretty common phenomenon. People "sold" songs, Bandleaders "demanded" that songs go under their names, and some performers simply claimed authorship because they thought their version's superior to that of the real composer. Years would pass by before folk hobbiests would sort things out. A perfect example would be "The Orange Blossom Special". It was only in the sixties when Chubby Wise made a "public" claim for it's authorship. Up til then everyone (who cared) simply thought it was written by Ervin Rouse. Doug. You were listening to country music before 1940!!!?? Hell I'm gonna start treating you with more respect...SIR. Rick |
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01 Aug 01 - 04:45 PM (#519322) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: DougR One of my favorite program in the 1940's was "The Hillbilly Hit Parade," Rick! I liked several others of course but we covered all of that in another thread a year or so ago. Stewie, thank you for reproducing that portion of the Davis letter to Russell. Interesting stuff. It would appear that my recollection is not correct. Thanks for the correction. DougR |
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02 Aug 01 - 12:02 AM (#519476) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Rick Fielding One of the things that I'm quite sorry about was that the Montreal radio stations were pretty bland. I probably could have gotten some old time country if I'd thought about it, but I never tried spinning the dial. I DO remember listening to a "sort of" Country program that had "I Ride an old Paint" as it's theme song. The song was haunting (wonder who sang it). Remember as a kid thinking the line "One went to college, the other went wrong" was brilliant. Still do. I did hear Hank Snow. What a singer, what a guitarist.....and after I saw the recent documentary on him....what a prick! But a talented one! Rick |
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05 Aug 01 - 02:52 PM (#521457) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: DougR Rick: One of Ralph Emory's books has some great stories about Hank Snow and his drinking ways. Funny as hell. I think it was in his first book. Funny how some of those guys you might think were pretty good guys were pricks. I happened to be sitting in a bar in Dallas last Friday night by a guy and we struck up a converstation. It turns out he played bass guitar and sang back up in Ray Price's band and Faron Young's band and was in a house band in Dallas that backed up lots of Country stars. That's exactly the way he described Ray Price. Hmmm. Seems somebody took some liberties with "I Ride an old Paint." Doug |
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05 Aug 01 - 03:43 PM (#521478) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: catspaw49 Hey Stewie.........Another fantastic job. Your amazing knowledge and research in this genre is simply the best. I was gone when this thread started but after reading it I want to once again say just how valuable you are to this place. This thread also points up once again a couple of my pet peeves...........Not saying thanks and not reading the thread. No way to correct either of them, but when someone posts authoratative and well researched information it gets in my craw that more people don't read it and often fail to mention a thanks if they do. Anyway, I thank you.......as do many others around here and on this thread. You're really a gem. Spaw |
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05 Aug 01 - 04:27 PM (#521503) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Mark Clark My thanks as well, Stewie. I realized I neglected to properly express my admiration and appreciation earlier. - Mark |
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05 Aug 01 - 07:14 PM (#521590) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Stewie Thanks, Spaw and Mark, for your kind remarks, but all credit there must go to Tony Russell whose knowlege and research of old-time music is incredible. Now if only his long-awaited (and long-promised) discography of old-time country music would finally hit the deck! For years, it has been rumoured to be 'imminent'. Evidently, once again it is with the publishers, and old-timey enthusiasts still eagerly await it. --Stewie. |
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22 Aug 01 - 06:17 AM (#533088) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Genie Thanks, so much, folks, for all the input! I lost track of the thread for a while. The postings have been very interesting and informative! |
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11 Jul 05 - 11:57 AM (#1520015) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Genie Stewie, I know it's very belated, but THANK YOU ever so much for outlining Mitchell's findings here! This may have been my first post at Mudcat. At least it was one of my first, and I wasn't up on the protocol. That doesn't excuse my lack of consideration, and, frankly, I'm puzzled that I didn't even reply to your polite reprimand. I may not have read your post before I replied to Tiger's, but I know I've read it -- and appreciated the effort and the info -- long before today. (BTW, the reason this old thread came to my attention today is that I googled "geniesings" -- part of my e-dress -- just for the heck of it, and this thread and one other at Mudcat were all that popped up.) Anyway, the appreciation's been there all along, and I'm sorry it took me so long to acknowledge your effort here in the thread. Genie |
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11 Jul 05 - 12:32 PM (#1520037) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Genie OK, mystery partially solved. Turns out I did post a thank you, on August 22, 2001, to everyone who contributed to this thread. But the posts are showing up here in rmixed-up order, so I missed that post when I scanned the thread today. Look at the list of posts at the top of this thread. They are out of sequence. E.g.: CRANKY YANKEE 31 Jul 01 - 02:23 PM ... Stewie 01 Aug 01 - 02:20 AM Rick Fielding 30 Jul 01 - 11:27 AM ... Rick Fielding 01 Aug 01 - 09:52 AM DougR 01 Aug 01 - 04:45 PM Rick Fielding 02 Aug 01 - 12:02 AM Mark Clark 30 Jul 01 - 12:34 PM ... Genie 22 Aug 01 - 06:17 AM [b]GUEST,geniesings@hotmail.com 29 Jul 01 - 06:46 AM [/b] -- my initial query that began this thread Tiger 29 Jul 01 - 07:46 AM George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca 29 Jul 01 - 08:14 AM Stewie 29 Jul 01 - 08:46 AM GUEST,geniesings@hotmail.com 29 Jul 01 - 03:14 PM Stewie 29 Jul 01 - 08:26 PM ... Stewie 05 Aug 01 - 07:14 PM Mark Clark 05 Aug 01 - 04:27 PM Genie 11 Jul 05 - 11:57 AM |
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12 Jul 05 - 01:42 PM (#1520630) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca It's usually due to pointers to messages/threads messing up when the computers crash. |
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12 Jul 05 - 04:11 PM (#1520752) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Genie Yeah, that's what I've been told in the Tech. thread I started about posts appearing out of sequence in several threads. Not too big a problem for me now that I know what's going on, but in some threads it can be really confusing. |
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11 Jan 06 - 12:50 AM (#1646093) Subject: RE: Origins: You Are My Sunshine (Jimmie Davis?) From: Jacqke Hi, I had a friend bring an article to me, concerning the orgin of You are my Sunshine. The article was entitled The Theft of an American Classic by Theodore Pappas. In it, Pappas makes a claim for Oliver Hood as the author of the song. Any reactions? |
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15 Jan 07 - 10:04 PM (#1937845) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Q (Frank Staplin) Refresh |
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22 Sep 07 - 07:10 PM (#2155295) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: GUEST,Richie Hi, I believe Marvin Taylor should get credit for authorship of "You Are My Sunshine" or that it should be declared a PD song. Here's why. If I publish a version of the Pine Ridge Boys song it predated the copyright and is based on a version that was recorded before the copyright. Does anyone agree? How can Jimmie Davis still hold a copyright to a song that you can prove was recorded by a previous artist. Taylor had nothing to do with Paul Rice who probably got the song indirectly from Taylor. Bob Atcher and Bonnie Blue Eyes recorded the song for Columbia Records on Jan 17, 1940. Art Slatherley Columbia's A & R man had got a copy of it from Marvin Taylor in North Carolina a singer with the Pine Ridge Boys. So you've even got Art Slatherley attributing the song to Taylor before the song was copyrighted. What do you think? Richie |
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22 Sep 07 - 07:59 PM (#2155325) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: dick greenhaus Anybody can hold a copyright on anything--until it's successfully challenged in court. |
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22 Sep 07 - 08:04 PM (#2155327) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: GUEST,Richie Thanks Dick, But in your expert opinion: would such a challenge win? I mean the song cane from Taylor who got it from a woman singer who got it from someone else. Sounds like PD folk song to me. Davis claimed he wrote it then later back off his claim. What do you think? Richie |
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22 Sep 07 - 08:20 PM (#2155333) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Q (Frank Staplin) Shucks, nobody sings the last verse of this song no more- Crawfish gumbo and jambalaya The biggest shrimp and sugar cane, The finest oysters, And sweet strawberries, From Toledo Bend to New Orleans. Now only a Pineville boy would write that. One of the two official Louisiana state songs, credited to Davis and Mitchell. I'll go along with that. |
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28 Apr 08 - 07:02 PM (#2328147) Subject: RE: Three Rusty Nails From: GUEST,Steven1960 I am trying to locate music and words for this song by jimmy davi8s. I hope someone can help me. I get a lot of request for this song in my concerts. |
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28 Apr 08 - 07:18 PM (#2328162) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Melissa THE THREE NAILS By Lewia Harrah & Jimmie Davies (1970) 1. With three rusty nails, they nailed Jesus to the tree. The sun turned to darkness on that day. 'Twas the day that Jesus died, and the blood flowed from His side, The blood that washed my sins away. 2. Jesus cried, "Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do, For they have strayed so far, far away." With three old rusty nails, they took Jesus' precious blood, The blood that washed my sins away. 3. They laughed as He cried, soldiers pierced His naked side. And His Father turned His face away. They drove the nails so deep, spilled His blood and made Him weep; The blood that washed my sins away. (Source: Gospel & Inspirational Showstoppers, CPP/Blewin, 1992, p. 92; with music & chords) (Posted by Masato in '02) |
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28 Apr 08 - 08:06 PM (#2328197) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Q (Frank Staplin) There are two songs- see thread 47292: The Three Nails- Three Rusty Nails |
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28 Apr 08 - 10:03 PM (#2328253) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Uncle Phil In answer to the question in the first post, the horse was named after the song. Sunshine was the palomino gelding that Davis literally rode into office in 1960 -- right up the capitol steps and into the governer's office. Sunshine wore rubber horseshoes for the occasion. Sorry it took 7 years to answer. - Phil |
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28 Apr 08 - 11:59 PM (#2328317) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Q (Frank Staplin) Just another fictional story. Davis bought the song from Paul Rice, and took out copyright under his name. Rice may have got it from another composer, controversy here. Davis recorded the song in Chicago in 1940 and it was an immediate hit. He ran for governor in 1944. The horse didn't show up until he ran again for governor in 1960. Davis had recorded the song twenty years earlier. Davis sang at his 100th birthday (he first recorded in 1929 for RCA); he died age 101 in 2000. A most unusual man! Jimmie Davis The story about Paul Rice and his authorship of "You Are My Sunshine" is taken from Wikipedia, but there is still controversy about whether he or Davis or someone else wrote the song. It may have been recorded by Rice before 1940, the date Davis recorded it. I haven't been able to verify this. |
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29 Apr 08 - 12:01 AM (#2328319) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Q (Frank Staplin) Sorry, Uncle Phil- you did say the song came before the horse. My apologies. |
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29 Apr 08 - 08:37 AM (#2328519) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Uncle Phil No problem, Q. As a kid growing up Baton Rouge, I remember not having to go to school the day of Davis' inauguration, but didn't go downtown to watch him ride Sunshine into the capitol. - Phil |
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29 Apr 08 - 09:21 AM (#2328556) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Dave'sWife Stewie mentioned 'Nobody's Darlin'' - oh how I loved that song as a child. I only have one recording of it presently, the one Emmylou Harris did with the Cheiftains and it's a fine version at that. |
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29 Apr 08 - 12:19 PM (#2328723) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Bill D I have...(or so it says on my printed list)...an MP3 of Jimmie Davis singing "Nobody's Darlin'" .It is on a CD in Real Audio format.(courtesy of Rose, the Record Lady) I will dig it out and see if it works, and try to post it for folks to hear...but I guess that will have to be after Mudcat is back up after the move......remind me! |
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29 Apr 08 - 03:48 PM (#2328956) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego Years ago, I heard Mose Allison do this song. He introduced it by crediting authorship to "The former Governor of Louisiana, Jimmy Davis," and then saying, "But this is not his version." If you know anything about Mose and his approach to jazz and blues, you also know he spoke the truth. |
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30 Apr 08 - 11:58 AM (#2329842) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Dave'sWife I'd like to hear that BillD! In the meantime, I highly recommend the Emmylou harris & The Chieftains version. it's from their CD: Another Country. Also on that CD is a lovely version of I Can't Stop loving You sung by Don Williams. It works so well with the Irish instrumentation. |
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12 Jul 12 - 05:04 AM (#3375178) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: GUEST I have sung this song from my school days from 1986 to when I left in 1997. I've also played it at solo gigs and with my old band, Braveheart. The song has had words written before 1940 when Jimmy Davis stole his rights from Paul Rice. The only words to this song that Davis might have written that are still sung today is, I think, the last verse which some people have forgotten. Marvin Taylor and Oliver Hood first sung this song in 1939 before Davis. He thinks the song was older. One thing I do know is that the song does not date to the 19th century, but like other folk songs the tune might be related to an earlier song that is nothing to do with the 1939 song that is known today. |
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12 Jul 12 - 11:14 AM (#3375298) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Q (Frank Staplin) "Might be related"... No comment needed. See link to Rosemont Records article, and Oliver Hood, 11 Jan 06; also post by Stewie on recordings c. 1939. The article linked, by Theodore Pappas, suggests Oliver Hood wrote the song on a paper sack in 1933. |
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10 Jul 14 - 05:16 PM (#3641028) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: GUEST,ADalton Somewhere I read that this song was based on "Little Darlin, Pal of Mine" by the Carter Family. Is there any evidence supporting this? I noticed that both tunes are similar in the last lines of the verses, and both songs have lines from "Columbia Stockade Blues". And of course all of the songs have the same theme. |
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11 Jul 14 - 10:26 AM (#3641213) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: Stringsinger Chord progression different from "Little Darlin'". Blue Sky Boys recorded it before Jimmie Davis. Stewie covered it. Wayne Daniels researched it. It comes from Georgia. |
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11 Jul 14 - 12:54 PM (#3641258) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: GUEST Here is my source I wish he had provided some evidence. |
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13 Apr 23 - 07:30 AM (#4169820) Subject: RE: Help: Did Jimmie Davis really write SUNSHINE? From: GUEST The Oliver Hood song is the same tune but with different words these words have all out of business. in 1939 Paul Rise wrote this when his wife was ill. Marvin Taylor and the surviving first recorded the words we know today. After reading this history Jimmie Davis wrote many others but not You Are My Sunshine. thankyou :) |