WOLVES A HOWLIN'. Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas. A Major: G Major (John Brown/Bruce Molsky, Phillips). AEae (most versions): GDgd (John Brown). AAB (Phillips): AABB. Tom Rankin (1985) identifies the tune as one specific to the "Old Southwest", or the states of Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Southwestern Missouri Ozarks fiddler Bob Holt (1930) learned it from local sources. "Wolves…" was specialty tune of Tuscallosa fiddler Monkey Brown (1897‑1972) who was active in Alabama contest fiddling in the 1920's and 30's. It was a common tune in western Alabama, especially the Tombigbee‑Warrior region (Cauthen). The tune was one of several old‑time fiddle pieces listed in a 1925 University of Alabama master's thesis by S.M. Taylor entitled "A Preliminary Survey of Folk‑Lore in Alabama." Robert Fleder (1971) remarks that "Wolves Howlin'" has been collected in Mississippi and Oklahoma as well as Alabama, "but there is no reason to suspect that it is not indigenous to the Alabama‑Mississippi region." Mississippi fiddler John Brown, of Tishomingo County, was recorded in 1939 playing the tune in GDgd tuning. He was over age 80 at the time. Some see resemblances to "Cotton-Eyed Joe [1]." See also Kentucky fiddler Buddy Thomas's "Sheep and Hogs Walking Through the Pasture." Little Jimmy Dickens recorded the tune under the title "Poor Little Darlin'." The first line of the lyrics, according to Rankin, is common in tradition, but the second is often composed at the whim of the source.
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Wolves outside howl and a‑hollar They gonna getch‑you Bet you a Dollar ! (Unknown)
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O don't you hear them wolves a‑howlin, All around my poor little darlin'; Four on the hillside, six in the holler, They're gonna get 'er, betcha a dollar. (Thede)
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Don't you hear them wolves a‑howling, Setting in the corner talking to my darling. (Rankin)
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‑‑‑‑' Wolves a‑howlin' All around my poor little darlin' Can't you see those blue clouds flyin' Poor little darlin', home a‑cryin' (or 'hollerin' and cryin')
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Wolves are, howlin', howlin', howlin' Oh the wolves are howlin' Howlin' found my...{stop singing} (John Hatcher, Mississippi)
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Can't you hear them wolves a'howlin' All around you poor little darlin' One on the hillside, two in the hollar Bet them wolves have done and got her.
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Sheep and Hogs and walkin' thru the pasture Sheeps said, `Hogs can't you run a little faster?' Go on there and hush your growlin' Can't you hear them wolves a'howlin'? (Goldie Goforth, sister of fiddler Gene Goforth)
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Sources for notated versions: W.S. Collins (Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma) [Thede]; John Hartford [Phillips]. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), 1994; pg. 260. Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 133. Briar 4204, Earl Collins. County 401, "The Stripling Brothers." Marimac 9000, Dan Gellert & Shoofly ‑ "Forked Deer" (1986). Mississippi Department of Archives and History AH‑002, W.E. Claunch & John Brown ‑ "Great Big Yam Potatoes: Anglo‑American Fiddle Music From Mississippi" (1985. Two different renditions, originally recorded for the Library of Congress in 1939). Rounder 0361, Bruce Molsky – "Lost Boy" (1996. 1st part based on John Brown, 2nd on the Stripling Bros.). Rounder RO-0388, Gene Goforth –"Emminence Breakdown" (1997). Rounder 0442, John Hartford – "Hamilton Ironworks." Vocalion 5412/02770 (78 RPM), Stripling Brothers (Alabama) {1929}.
You can special-order the Hills-Mangsen Never Grow Old CD (Flying Fish #70638) and the Gene Goforth Emminence Breakdown CD (Rounder #ROUCD0388) from www.amazon.co.uk. You might have better luck ordering direct from Rounder, http://www.rounder.com/, since Flying Fish is a Rounder label. -Joe Offer-