The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #51579   Message #787096
Posted By: Stewie
18-Sep-02 - 08:23 PM
Thread Name: ADD: Old and Only in the Way
Subject: RE: Help: Old and Only in the Way
Sorry, I can't help with a version containing the words quoted, but I am puzzled by the DT's attribution of its 'Old and In the Way' as being Charlie Poole's version. The stanzas that concur with Poole's depart from his actual words and there are additional stanzas. The lyrics as Poole recorded it may be found here:

Charlie Poole's version

The original 1880 sheet music (words P.J. Downey and music by L.T. Billings) may be found at the Levy site:

Levy

Fiddlin' John Carson recorded the song twice, in 1924 and 1927. Like Poole, he takes bits of the original and adds other bits. I can post the Carson lyrics if anyone is interested. Other oldtimey recordings were made by Ted Chestnut, Mac and Bob, The Kentucky Girls, The Texas Fiddlin' Wampus Cat and His Kitten (W.B. Chenoweth) and Arkansas Woodchopper.

Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Pete Rowan et alia had a group called 'Old and In the Way' that featured a reworking of the song by Grisman, but it bears little relationship to what is requested here.

--Stewie.