The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #97052 Message #1917206
Posted By: Jon Bartlett
22-Dec-06 - 10:31 PM
Thread Name: Folklore: What are the Motives of the Re-definers?
Subject: RE: Folklore: What are the Motives of the Re-defin
Greetings to Brian Peters, and thanks to Art Thieme, Jim Carroll and McGrath of Harlow for responses to my recent post. Jim's question about whether the song I quoted was taken up by other loggers is indeed the critical question, and one we can never be sure of, given the collecting history in BC. Among collectors, only Phil Thomas (Songs of the Pacific Northwest) ever published material such as this. The song in question was collected twice, once by Thomas in the early 60's, and again by Al Grierson in about 1980. Al's version differed somewhat, and his informant told him to sing it with a strong Swedish accent: the closing couplet being
Better off in Porty Hardy instead of down here
In this haywire outfit that Jorgensson's got here
When Rika and I have sung it with loggers and ex-loggers, there are nods of recognition and assertions that they knew, or knew of, the song, but this might simply have been conversational beerhall politeness (where informants are not under oath).
The tradition I believe was alive until fairly recently, but with the mechanization of the woods and the resulting smaller crews, its best days are all in the past.
As to the other of Jim's questions: I edited Come All Ye (1972-78), Canada Folk Bulletin (1978-80) and the Canadian Folk Music Society Bulletin (1980-1), but the names you mentioned don't ring a bell. PM me on this, Jim.
Art's response to the question of profesional musicians needing fresh material was a very clear restatement of how traditional music should be presented, and one with which I associate myself precisely. Art's broad knowledge of and love for his material shines out in all his recordings, and is a model for us all.
Jon Bartlett