Lyr Req: Marrowbones (from Alan Lomax)

Subject: Lyr Add: MARROWBONES (from Alan Lomax)
From: Roberto
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 03:03 PM

Marrowbones (The Rich Old Lady)
Alan Lomax (in Texas Folk Songs, from the singing of Iron Head)

Please, I need a word I can't get (I've put a question mark where it is, in the 6th stanza), and I'd like someone to check the rest as well. Thanks R

Once I knowed an old lady
Round Tennessee she dwell
Had a lovin' husband
And loved other mens as well

Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O

Now I'm goin' down to the doctor's shop
Just as quick as I can go
See if I can find sumpen 'round that place
To run my husband blind

Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O

Well, she only found two marrowbone
An' she made him suck them all
Now I'm blind my dear young wife
An' I cannot see at all

Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O

Well, I would go and drown myself
If I only knew the way
Come, my dear, and I'll help you out
'Cause I'm scared you run astray

Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O

Well, she got him way down by the riverside
Just to shove her Old man in
He stepped back just a little one side
And a-headlong she plunged in

Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O

Well, she whooped and she hollered
Just as loud as any woman could squall
Come up dear and help me out
'Cause I loved you (??) it all

Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O

But the Ol' man bein' so kind-hearted
Knowin' too his sweet wife could not swim
He reached right back and got a long pole
And he shoved her further in

Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O

Come all you hasty young women
Take warnin' after me
Don't never try to drown a po' old man
He's blind and cannot see

Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O, yeah
Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O, yeah
Love my darlin' O - Love my darlin' O

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marrowbones by Lomax
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Mar 08 - 03:31 PM

A transcription of Iron Head Baker in the DT gives the verse as:
Title: Rich Old Lady

She whoops and she hollers
Just as loud as any woman could squall;
Old man knows his sweet wife's dyin',
An' cannot see at all.

Iron Head may have recorded this for Lomax more than once, varying the words somewhat. I think you asked this question in 2005 but didn't get an answer.
Sorry, maybe someone here can help.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marrowbones (from Alan Lomax)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Mar 08 - 07:39 PM

At Google Book Search, snippets are viewable from both "The Folk Songs of North America in the English Language," by Alan Lomax, and "Our Singing Country: Folk Songs and Ballads," collected and compiled by John A. Lomax and Alan Lomax.

Both books contain a verse exactly like the one posted by Q above.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marrowbones (from Alan Lomax)
From: Roberto
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 03:35 AM

The source of Q's text and the one reported by Jim is the same, Lomax from Iron Head, but the recording with the song sung by Alan Lomax has some differencies. I'd need someone who knows the recording I'm talking about to listen to it and complete the 6th stanza...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marrowbones (from Alan Lomax)
From: Dave Hunt
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 07:13 AM

See http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/index.html

it's all there!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marrowbones (from Alan Lomax)
From: Roberto
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 11:24 AM

No, it isn't. R

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marrowbones (from Alan Lomax)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 01:08 PM

It would help a great deal if you would post the label, date and other recording data that you have when you request specific lyrics.
Lomax was known for using different takes and, in some of his published work, using material he or others had re-written.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marrowbones (from Alan Lomax)
From: Roberto
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 01:17 PM

You're right, Q. The CD I have (and the LP before) is titled Texas Folk Songs, recorded in 1964. The edition that is available at the moment is titled Cowboy Songs of the Old West (Label: Legacy). R

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marrowbones (from Alan Lomax)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 01:25 PM

The "Texas Folk Songs," Alan Lomax, that you refer to must be the 1991 cd release on Arion label, with track 4, "The Rich Old Lady."

It is not easily found, currently listing at around $40-45 in the aftermarket.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marrowbones (from Alan Lomax)
From: Roberto
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 01:32 PM

Yes, but Cowboy Songs of the Old West has the same recordings, and should be available. At Amazon it is possible to listen to a little bit of each of these songs (and to buy the MP3 as well, but only from the USA). R

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marrowbones (from Alan Lomax)
From: Amos
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 01:50 PM

The traditional ENglish version -- clearly the parent to this one -- as sung by (IIRC)Dyer Bennett, has the verse as follows:

"She yelled for help, screamed for help,
Loudly did she bawl;
But the old man said, now I'm so darned blind,
I can't see you at all...".


In the Tennesee version, it would make sense for the questioned line to be "I loved you best of all...", given the context and the cliches of the period.


A

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Marrowbones (from Alan Lomax)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 31 Mar 08 - 02:57 PM

Oh, that is sung by Alan Lomax. Could be quite different from what Iron Head Baker sang. Sorry, no interest.