The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #147614 Message #3422635
Posted By: GUEST,999
19-Oct-12 - 10:50 AM
Thread Name: California Bloomer
Subject: RE: California Bloomer
http://www.pineycreekweasels.net/off/music/missella.htm
Some info there, too.
Miss Ella
This song appears in Put’s Original California Songster by John A. Stone under the title of “California Bloomer” but we can’t help but call it “Miss Ella” for obvious reasons. Women were rare in the gold fields; women miners were rarest of all. The melody we use is “Nelly Bly, ” from a song by Stephen C. Foster. It was common practice to put new words to existing well-known tunes–this is where the term “broadside” comes from in a musical context. The Songster, in fact, doesn’t contains musical notation, just lyrics with the suggested melodies from tunes of the day.
Notes: the Platte River is in Nebraska, Lumpkin County is in Georgia. We believe alkalied is a term for the consequences of drinking bad water...or perhaps other strong drink.