Lyr Req: Nancy Brown / Rolling Down the Mountain

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Lyr Req: Nancy Brown / Rolling Down the Mountain

21 May 02 - 07:51 PM (#714974)
Subject: lyrics for nancy brown
From: GUEST,smircher'@ hotmail.com

cannot find lyrics song nancy brown had a stil way dowm yonder in hoe downhill can anyone help

21 May 02 - 08:59 PM (#715010)
Subject: RE: Tune Req: san antonio rose
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)

Guest, one set of words to Nancy Brown can be found by putting the name in Digitrad and Forum Search.
Your request is lost when you piggyback on a request for a different song. Open up a new thread and you are more likely to get an answer.

06 Jun 02 - 07:13 PM (#724815)
Subject: nancy brown
From: GUEST,smircher@hotmail.com

hillbilly type song about moonshine

06 Jun 02 - 07:20 PM (#724818)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: nancy brown
From: masato sakurai

Nancy Brown in the DT?

~Masato

E-Mail Sent.
-Joe Offer-

06 Jun 02 - 11:32 PM (#724943)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: nancy brown
From: Hrothgar

I haven't heard this for years, but I seem to remember a second last (penultimate, if you like) verse that started

"Then came a big depression, caught that slicker in the pants,
He had to sell his Packard (Caddy would fit just as well) and he had to give up Nance.........

Does anybody have more?

07 Jun 02 - 04:00 AM (#725036)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: nancy brown
From: Wolfgang

Is that a song about moonshine???

There is at least one other song with the same title. I only recollect the beginning of the chorus:

Drink a little whisky
sing a little song...

Wolfgang

05 Sep 04 - 01:24 AM (#1264549)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: nancy brown
From: Joe Offer

Gargoyle sent in a couple of tunes for this one - links are up top. The Traditional Ballad Index calls this one "She Came Rollin' Down the Mountain":

She Came Rollin' Down the Mountain

DESCRIPTION: A young woman takes a succession of men up the hills of West Virginny to engage in an act of prostitution, after which she comes rollin' down the mountain.
AUTHOR: Buddy DeSylva, Brown and Henderson
EARLIEST DATE: 1932
KEYWORDS: sex whore bawdy
FOUND IN: US(So)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Randolph-Legman II, p. 604, "She Came Rollin' Down the Mountain" (1 partial text)
RECORDINGS:
Blue Ridge Mountain Girls, "She Came Rollin' Down the Mountain" (Champion 16743, 1934)
Notes: There is an allusion to the onset of the Depression, dating the song to approximately 1930. This formerly popular song is of questionable oral currency. - EC
There's a commercial version, presumably cleaned-up (or the original from which the bawdy version is derived). See the Blue Ridge Mountain Girls' recording. - PJS
File: RL604

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Instructions

Randolph-Legman quotes only one verse of nine recorded by Randolph in 1942 (the DT has five verses):

Randolph-Legman says the song is variously titled "Nancy Brown" and "The West Virginia Hills," but the original version of the song is "She Came Rollin' down the Mountain," copyrighted in 1932 by the composers, Buddy DeSilva, Brown and Henderson. A six-stanza parody was published in 1952 by Elliot Springs, to advertise his "Spring Maid" bedsheets.

The only versions I could find with a Google search appear to come from the Digital Tradition - a song Dick Greenhaus remembers from his salad days. I think I heard Dick sing this one late night. Looks like there are more versions of this song to find, friends. Can we find the original, and how 'bout that bedsheet version?
-Joe Offer-

02 Jan 06 - 05:56 PM (#1639915)
Subject: Lyr Add: NANCY BROWN
From: GUEST,davidchristian01@yahoo.com

I'm not sure just how the tune goes, but try this!

Nancy Brown    (5th Fret)

          D                                              G
In the hills of W. Virginia There's a gal named Nancy Brown
       D                                     A7
She was the fairest maiden in city or in town

            D                                                      G
Now Nancy and the Deacon   climbed the mountainside one noon
          D                                             A7
they climbed up to the summit    but very very soon
                  D                                           G
She came rollin' down the Mountain,    rollin' down the mountain
D                                                       A7
Rollin' down the mountain mighty wide
                D                                              G
No,   she didn't give the Deacon    not a thing that he was seekin'
            D                                          A7                   D
She remained just as pure    as the West Virginia sky.

Then there came that ol' cowboy    came a cowboy with his song
took Nancy up the mountain    but she still knew right from wrong
She came rollin' down the Mountain      rollin' down the mountain
Rollin' down the mountain by the Dam
and despite that cowboys urgin'    she remained the village virgin
she remained just as pure    as the West Virginia sand

Then there came that Old trapper    with his words so soft and kind
took Nancy up the mountain    but when she read his mind
She came rollin' down the Mountain      rollin' down the mountain
Rollin' down the mountain by the shack
She remained as I have stated    not the least con-tam-in-ated
she remained just as pure    as Satin's apple jack

Then there came a city slicker    with a hundred dollar bill
took Nancy and his Packard   way up on the hill
Oh, she stayed up on that mountain    stayed up on that mountain
she stayed up on that mountain all that night
She came down next morning early    more a woman than a girly
and her pappy kicked that    hussy out of sight

And now she's livin' in the city,    she's living in the city
livin' in the city mighty swell
Now her life's all beer and skiddles and she lives on fancy viddles
and those West Virginia hills    can go to hell.

02 Jan 06 - 06:01 PM (#1639921)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: nancy brown (Rollin' Down the Mountain)
From: GUEST,WWW.davidchristian.Org

For lyrics and chords to over three hundred old and new "Folk" songs please visit my Web Site. WWW.Davidchristian.Org

02 Jan 06 - 11:16 PM (#1640116)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: nancy brown (Rollin' Down the Mountain)
From: Louie Roy

I learned this song in 1933 and I never heard the bawdy version,but it was on all the radio station at the time.None of the version that have been posted is the version I learned.Some of them are close,but I'm sure there were many different version written over the years.Louie Roy

03 Jan 06 - 07:23 PM (#1640718)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: nancy brown (Rollin' Down the Mountain)
From: Stewie

The 1936 recording by the Callahan Brothers is available on CD: 'The Callahan Brothers' Old Homestead OHCD-4013.

A beaut 1932 Columbia recording by the Aaron Sisters may be found on Various Artists 'Flowers in the Wildwood: Women in Early Country Music 1923-1939' Trikont US-1310.

--Stewie.

04 Jan 06 - 01:25 PM (#1641212)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: nancy brown (Rollin' Down the Mountai
From: dick greenhaus

Hrothgar-
I'd forgotten that verse. It goes:

Well there came a big depression, and the slicker lost his pants;
First he lost his Cadillac, and then he lost his Nance.
And she came back to the mountain,
She came back to the mountain,
She came back to the mountain mighty sore,
And the cowboy and the deacon
Got that thing that they were seekin'
And she's known as West Vieginia's biggest.............used car dealer.

05 Jan 06 - 01:05 PM (#1642113)
Subject: Lyr Add: SHE CAME ROLLING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
From: Ferrara

Here is the version sung by the Sons of the Pioneers. Obviously they were aiming at a family audience....

SHE CAME ROLLING DOWN THE MOUNTAINS
as sung by the Sons of the Pioneers

1
Down in West Virginia lived a gal named Nancy Brown
You never seen such beauty in the city or in town.
Nancy and the teacher climbed the mountainside one noon [preacher?]
They got up near the summit, but very very soon

She came rollin' down the mountains
She came rollin' down the mountains
She came rollin' down the mountains from above
For she left her bold companion
To the coyotes in the canyon
When the feller tried to tell 'er words of love.

2
She was sittin', knittin' woolen undies for her dad
When she saw a cowboy in his Sunday suit of plaid.
"How'd ya like to hike, dear," he remarked and raised his hat,
Again they climbed the mountains, but shortly after that

She came rollin' down the mountains
She came rollin' down the mountains
She came rollin' down the mountains high and wide
When he tried to get too pally
Nancy headed for the valley
For she wouldn't vow to be a cowboy's bride

3
Then a city slicker who had hundred dollar bills
Came ridin' in his auto to the West Virginia hills
Nancy looked him over, thinkin' "There's the man for me,"
She stepped into his roadster and the rest is history.

Oh she stayed up in the mountains
Oh she stayed up in the mountains
Oh she stayed up in the mountains [with delight] *
For that handsome city slicker
Made her girlish heart beat quicker
And her pappy chased poor Nancy out of sight.

* I always figured this was originally "til daylight."

4
Nancy and the slicker they were married right away,
She got a diamond bracelet on her happy weddin' day.
Though she's in the city she remembers now and then
The lovers who pursued her and the happy moments when

She came rollin' down the mountains
She came rollin' down the mountains
She came rollin' down the mountains by the stills
Oh her life is beer & skittles
And she's eatin' fancy victuals
And she owes it all to the West Virginia hills!

07 Jan 06 - 07:37 PM (#1643718)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: nancy brown (Rollin' Down the Mountain)
From: Jim Dixon

The Aarons Sisters sing SHE CAME ROLLIN' DOWN THE MOUNTAIN on the compilation "Country, Bluegrass and Mountain Music," Rerooted 3-CD set #5, 2002.

It's also on Tex Morton's "Regal Zonophone Collection V.2" EMI CD 8142052, 1997.

And on The Sons of the Pioneers' "Songs of the Prairie" Bear Family 5-CD box set #15710, 1998.

According to The Frank Gullo Music Sheet (sic) Collection, at Millersville University it was written by Arthur Lippmann, Manning Sherwin, and Harry Richman and published by Crawford Music Corporation in 1932.

26 Jun 07 - 07:03 PM (#2087809)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: nancy brown (Rollin' Down the Mountain)
From: GUEST

Oh, she's livin' in the city now, she's livin' in the city now
She's livin' in the city, mighty swell
Oh she's wine-in' and she's dinin'
On her fat ass she's reclinin'
And the West Virginny hills can go to Hell.

Along came the Depression, kicked the slicker in the pants
He had no use for money so he had no use for Nance

28 Oct 07 - 12:01 PM (#2181035)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nancy Brown (Rollin' Down the Mountain)
From: GUEST

My dad sang this song when I was little. His version of the lyrics were rather different from those above but the basic story and rhymes were the same.

How sweet. Repeated attempted rapes and eventually prostitution. Didn't know what the song was about til I was older. :-)

26 Jul 08 - 01:40 AM (#2398154)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nancy Brown (Rollin' Down the Mountai
From: GUEST

In the hills of west virginia lived a gal named nancy brown
All the boys came chasing after her for many miles around
But they came rolling down the mountain, rolling down the mountain
Rolling down the mountain mighty wise.
For it was kissing they were seeking, but she would never weaken
And she's pure as the west virginny skies

28 Sep 09 - 05:41 PM (#2733565)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nancy Brown / Rolling Down the Mountain
From: GUEST,Dave

Here's a verse I like which follows after the last "Rollin' down the mountain" chorus.

Now she's livin' in the city, livin' in the city,
Yes she's livin' in the city mighty swell.
In her favorite institution,
It's a house of-------ill repute.
And those West Virginia hill can go to hell.

11 Jul 11 - 03:14 PM (#3185600)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nancy Brown / Rolling Down the Mountain
From: GUEST,Phredd

I hope this is what you are looking for.
Was a long time ago, but..........

Nancy Brown she kept a still, way up yonder on Hoedown Hill.
Every night when the sun went down all the boys would gather round.

Chorus

Drink a little whisky, sing a little song,
tomorrows a comin but the nights still young.
Drink a little whisky, Good ol Nancy Brown.
Your whisky sure is poison but its 20 miles to town.

Well sheriff Bates he climbed that hill, he was a lookin for Nancys still.
From high above he heard the sound of Jakes old fiddle come drifting down.
In the darkness no one saw that lean and mean eyed limb of the law.
Sheriff thought he'd make a haul, and with some luck he'd catch them all.

Chorus.

Well the sheriff caught them , nine or ten, some were women some were men .
Then he thought it made some sense just to taste the evidence.
When that whisky touched his tongue , the sheriff threw away his gun.
For three whole days he drank that still and they buried him high on Hoedown Hill

Chorus

Long time since I sang that little ditty!!!!

13 Jul 11 - 02:34 PM (#3186886)
Subject: Lyr Add: SHE CAME ROLLIN DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
From: Jim Dixon

Here's a version from a 78-rpm record at YouTube:

SHE CAME ROLLIN DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
(Arthur Lippman, Manning Sherwin, Harry Richman)*
As sung by Larry Vincent

Down in West Virginia lived a gal named Nancy Brown.
You never saw such beauty in a city or in town.
Nancy and the Deacon climbed the mountainside one noon,
And when they reached the summit, very, very soon,
She came rollin' down the Mountain, rollin' down the mountain,
Rollin' down the mountain near her shack,
'Cause she didn't give the Deacon that there thing that he was seekin'
And remained as pure as taffy, that poor chap.

Then there came a cowboy, a cowboy with a song.
Again they climbed the mountain, but she knew right from wrong.
She came rollin' down the mountain, rollin' down the mountain,
Rollin' down the mountain mighty wide [or "white"?],
For despite the cowboys urgin', she remained the local sturgeon [sic]
And as pure as those West Virginny skies.

And then a city slicker who had hundred-dollar bills
Took Nancy in his pushcart away up in the hills.
Oh, she stayed up in the mountain, stayed up in the mountain,
Stayed up in mountain all the night.
She returned next morning early for a woman then a girlie,
And her taffy kicked her hussy out of sight.

(Poor thing's havin' her troubles.)

Now she's livin' in the city, livin' in the city,
Livin' in the city mighty swell.
For her life is beer and skittles and she's eating dandy vittles,
And those West Virginia hills can go to—(Can't say it here.)

Then there came depression, kicked Nancy in the pants.
She lost her apartment; she didn't have a chance.
Well, she came back to the mountain, came back to the mountain,
Came back as in days of yore,
And the cowboy and the deacon got that thing that they were seekin'
And now she's doin' all right for herself.

[* A History of Popular Music in America by Sigmund Spaeth (New York, Random House 1948) says:

She Came Rollin Down the Mountain

15 Jul 12 - 05:38 PM (#3376703)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nancy Brown / Rolling Down the Mountain
From: GUEST

28 Jul 12 - 11:48 AM (#3382720)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nancy Brown / Rolling Down the Mountain
From: GUEST,Wolfgang

Isn't Mudcat amazing? Ten years ago I asked for a song and my request was buried in the middle of a thread about a different song. Now I've found the response to my request.

Thanks a lot, Phredd. YOUR SONG IS WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.

Wolfgang

29 Jul 12 - 03:30 AM (#3383007)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nancy Brown / Rolling Down the Mountain
From: alanabit

Hi Wolfgang. As it happens, I was looking for this song too - but I got the title wrong. So there is another thread on it here somewhere!

29 Jul 12 - 04:04 AM (#3383014)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nancy Brown / Rolling Down the Mountain
From: alanabit

Here we go...

06 Aug 17 - 06:54 PM (#3870355)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nancy Brown / Rolling Down the Mountain
From: GUEST

This is another Song entitled Nancy Brown--written by Dermot o Connor, a great mandolin and guitar player from Ireland and sadly departed recently RIP>

Heres to you Dermott. !!

Nancy Brown she kept a still, way up yonder on Hoedown Hill.
Every night when the sun went down all the boys would gather round.

Chorus

Drink a little whisky, sing a little song,
tomorrows a comin but the nights still young.
Drink a little whisky, Good ol Nancy Brown.
Your whisky sure is poison but its 20 miles to town.

Well sheriff Bates he climbed that hill, he was a lookin for Nancys still.
From high above he heard the sound of Jakes old fiddle come drifting down.
In the darkness no one saw that lean and mean eyed limb of the law.
Sheriff thought he'd make a haul, and with some luck he'd catch them all.

Chorus.

Well the sheriff caught them , nine or ten, some were women some were men .
Then he thought it made some sense just to taste the evidence.
When that whisky touched his tongue , the sheriff threw away his gun.
For three whole days he drank that still and they buried him high on Hoedown Hill

Chorus

06 Aug 17 - 11:29 PM (#3870364)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nancy Brown / Rolling Down the Mountain
From: Mrrzy

I love this song! My version, don't remember whose (Oscar Brand?), is slightly different. One word is not accurate.

In the hills of West Virginia lived a girl named Nancy Brown
She was the finest filly for many miles around
The deacon come a-visiting the valley from below
He almost reached the summit, but no further would she go
And she come rolling down the mountain, rolling down the mountain
She came rolling down the mountain shouting No
And she didn't give the deacon that there thing that he was seeking
She remained as pure as West Virginia snow.

Then along came a drummer with his phrases sweet and kind
Took Nancy up the mountain but at last she read his mind
And she come ... breathing storm
And she left her bold companion to the coyotes in the canyon
She remained as pure as West Virginia corn.

Then along came a singer(?) and he wooed her with a song
Took Nancy up the mountain but she still knew right from wrong
And she... piggy back
She remained, as I have stated, not one whit contaminated
She remained as pure as pappy's applejack.

Then along come a city slicker with his 100-dollar bills
Took Nancy in his cadillac and kept her in the hills
And so she stayed up in the mountain (3x) all that night
She returned next morning early, more a woman than a girlie
And her pappy kicked the hussy out of sight.

Now she's living in the city (3x) mighty swell
She is dancing, she is dining, on her fanny she's reclining
And those West Virginia hills can go to hell (2x).

08 Aug 17 - 06:46 AM (#3870524)
Subject: Lyr Add: ROLLIN' DOWN THE MOUNTAIN (Callahan Bros.
From: Jim Dixon

ROLLIN' DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
As recorded by the Callahan Brothers [date unknown, but it sounds very early]

In the hills of West Virginia lived a girl named Nancy Brown.
She was the fairest maiden in city or a town.
One day there came a deacon; he was seeking for a thrill.
He took our little Nancy Brown away up in the hill.

She come rolling down the mountain, rolling down the mountain.
She come rolling down the mountain mighty wise(?).
She didn't give the deacon the things that he was seekin'
And remained as pure as the West Virginia skies.

There came a western cowboy with his fancy chaps and frills.
He also took our Nancy Brown away up in the hills.

She came rolling down the mountain, rolling down the mountain,
She came rolling down the mountain like a lamb.
In spite of all his urgin' she still remained a virgin,
And remained as pure as a West Virginia ham.

Then came a city slicker with his hundred-dollar bills.
He also took our Nancy Brown away up in the hills.

She stayed up in the mountain, stayed up in the mountain,
Stayed up in the mountain all the night.
She returned next morning early, more a woman than a girlie,
And her pappy chased the hussy out of sight.

Now she's living in the city, living in the city,
Living in the city mighty swell.
She's through with pots and kettles, also cooking vittles,
And the West Virginia hills can go to hell.

14 Jan 21 - 05:00 PM (#4087979)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nancy Brown / Rolling Down the Mountain
From: GUEST,Roger B

This the version I picked up in the UK in the 50s

Way down in West Virginia, there's a girl called Nancy Lee
She's the cutest girl for miles around, as anyone can see.
And she lives up in the mountains, the snowy snowy mountains.
Yes, she lives up in the mountains all alone
And if ever you have been there, you surely must have seen her.
She's as pure as the West Virginia snow.
Chorus: She's as pure. She's as pure. She's as pure as the West Virginia snow. (same after each verse)

Now along there came a miner, with all his picks & drills
And he packed her on his mule train. And they went in them thar hills.
And they went up in the mountains etc,
Yes they went up in the mountains etc
But in spite of his designin, she made him stick to minin.
She's as pure as the West Virginia Snow.

Now next there came a Deacon, with all his waya and wills
And he packed her in his dogcart and they went up in the hills
And they went up in the mountains etc
But she wouldn't give the deacon the thing that he was seekin
She's as pure as the West Virginia snow
Chorus
Now there cam a city slicker, with his million dollar bills
And he packed her in his Packard and they drove off to the hills
And they went up in the mountains etc
She came down next mornin early, more woman than a girlie
She WAS as pure as the West Virginia snow
Chorus -including WAS
Now she's livin in the city. And she's sittin mighty purty
And by all accounts she's doin mighty swell, Mighty swell!
And the miner and the deacon, both get what they were seekin,
And the West Virginia snow can go to hell

14 Jan 21 - 06:28 PM (#4087996)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nancy Brown / Rolling Down the Mountain
From: Mrrzy

The version I had, she went up the mountain and *refused* to have sex with a series of men, till the last verse (city slicker).

17 Jul 22 - 02:26 AM (#4147564)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Nancy Brown / Rolling Down the Mountain
From: GUEST

The verse about the city slicker ended with
She WAS as pure as the West Virginia snow.

The chorusan 85 year old Billfollowed with the accent on WAS.