There's an extensive entry on this song at the Traditional Ballad Index:

Sourwood Mountain

DESCRIPTION: Dance tune with words; young man wants his true love, but she is coy. Versions often contain a variety of floating or spontaneous verses. First stanza may begin, "Chickens crowing on Sourwood Mountain...."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1916 (Wyman-Brockway)
KEYWORDS: courting love rejection nonballad playparty
FOUND IN: US(Ap,MW,SE,So)
REFERENCES (13 citations):
Randolph 417, "Sourwood Mountain" (4 texts plus a fragment, 1 tune)
Randolph/Cohen, pp. 346-347, "Sourwood Mountain" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 417A)
BrownIII 251, "Sourwood Mountain" (7 texts plus an excerpt and 3 fragments)
Wyman-Brockway I, p. 91 "Sourwood Mountain" (1 text, 1 tune)
Fuson, pp. 170-171, "Sourwood Mountain" (1 text)
Sandburg, p. 125, "Sourwood Mountain" (1 text, 1 tune); 320-321, "I Got a Gal at the Head of the Holler" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lomax-FSUSA 24, "Sourwood Mountain" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lomax-ABFS, pp. 276-277, "Sourwood Mountain" (1 text, 1 tune, composite)
Botkin-AmFolklr, pp. 897-898, "Sourwood Mountain" (1 text, 1 tune)
Chase, pp. 148-149, "Sourwood Mountain" (1 text, 1 tune)
Darling-NAS, pp. 257-258, "Sourwood Mountain" (1 text)
Silber-FSWB, p. 35, "Sourwood Mountain" (1 text)
DT, SOURWOOD
Roud #754
RECORDINGS:
Coleman & Harper "Sourwood Mountain" (Perfect 12751, 1931) (Oriole 8095, 1935)
Fruit Jar Guzzlers, "Sourwood Mountain" (on CrowTold01)
I. G. Greer & Mrs. I. G. Greer, "Sourwood Mountain" (AFS; on LC12)
The Hillbillies, "Sourwood Mountain" (Vocalion 5022, c. 1926)
Earl Johnson & his Dixie Entertainers "I've Got a Woman on Sourwood Mountain" (OKeh 45171, 1927)
Kessinger Brothers, "Sourwood Mountain" (Brunswick 308, c. 1929)
Bradley Kincaid ,"Sourwood Mountain" (Gennett 6417/Silvertone 8220, 1928) (Brunswick 420, c. 1930) (Conqueror 8090, 1933) (one of these is on CrowTold02, but it's not clear which)
Clayton McMichen, "Sourwood Mountain [part of instrumental medley] (Decca 2649, 1939)
Fiddlin' Powers & Family, "Sour Wood Mountains" (Victor 19448, 1924)
Hobart Smith, "Sourwood Mountain" [instrumental] (on LomaxCD1702)
Ernest V. Stoneman, "Sourwood Mountain" (Victor 20235, 1926)
Stove Pipe No. 1 [pseud. for Sam Jones], "Cripple Creek & Sourwood Mountain" (Columbia 201-D, 1924)
Uncle "Am" Stuart, "Sourwood Mountain" (Vocalion 15840, 1924)
Gid Tanner & Riley Puckett, "Sourwood Mountain" (Columbia 245-D, 1924)
Taylor's Kentucky Boys, "Sourwood Mountain" (on BefBlues3)
The Vagabonds, "Sourwood Mountain" (Bluebird B-5335, 1934)
Wade Ward, "Sourwood Mountain" [instrumental] (on Holcomb-Ward1)
Henry Whitter, "Sourwood Mountain" (OKeh 7005, n.d.)
Notes: The Baptist church disapproved of dancing, but allowed playparties (dances with sung tunes instead of instrumental music) - PJS
It should be noted that this is primarily a fiddle tune; it's listed because it occasionally turns up with words. - RBW
File: R417

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