Origins: Goodbye to My Stepstone

Subject: Lyr.Req: Goodbye to my Stepstone
From: bubblyrat
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 11:22 AM

I first heard this beautiful song ( written, I believe, by a lady ) some years ago on a Walt Michael LP record. Since then, I have seen /heard Walt Michael perform it at the Sidmouth International Folk Festival ( as was ) and continue to be haunted by it, so can anyone help me please ?? ( I have lost the LP !! ).

Subject: RE: Lyr.Req: Goodbye to my Stepstone
From: Susan of DT
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 11:38 AM

It is in the DT. Search for Stepstone in the box above

Subject: Lyr Add: STEP STONE (Woody Guthrie)
From:
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 11:43 AM

IS this anything like it? Found at Stepstone

Stepstone

I stood on the stepstone when school days was over
And longed for the time to go by,
Now that it's gone I stand here tonight
To bid this old stepstone goodbye.
 
Goodbye to my stepstone, goodbye to my home,
God bless the ones that I leave with a sigh;
Fields will be whitening
And I will be gone to ramble this wide world alone.
 
I stand on my stepstone at eventide now,
The wind whistles by with a moan;
How did it start and I stand here tonight,
Good bye to my stepstone and home.
 
Goodbye to my stepstone, goodbye to my home,
God bless the ones that I leave with a sigh;
Fields will be whitening
And I will be gone to ramble this wide world alone.
 
It's hard to be parted from those that we love,
When reverses in fortune have come;
The world's strongest heart strings have broken in twain,
By the absence of loved ones and home.
 
Goodbye to my stepstone, goodbye to my home,
God bless the ones that I leave with a sigh;
Fields will be whitening
And I will be gone to ramble this wide world alone.

Subject: RE: Lyr.Req: Goodbye to my Stepstone
From:
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 11:45 AM

Here are the DT entries

Stepstone
Old Stepstone

They seem to be different than the one I posted.

Subject: Lyr Add: STEP STONE (Bascom Lamar Lunsford)
From: 12-stringer
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 11:50 AM

These are the lyrics from Bascom Lunsford; odds are the one you heard is directly or indirectly from it. Lunsford says "I learned this song ... from Miss Lela Ammons, a girl fifteen years old in 1904, in Graham County, NC. I recall it now from memory but I've never heard it from other sources."

Oh! 'tis sad to be parted from those that we love
Strange faces we see every day
Each heart string of mine is broken in time
when I think of those dear ones at home.

Cho:
Goodbye, dear old stepstone, goodbye to my home
God bless those that I leave with a sigh
I'll cherish fond memories when I'm far away
When I think of those dear ones at home.

I stood on my door step at evening and morn
The wind whispered by with a moan
Fields may be whitening but I will be gone
To roam over this wide world alone.

I stood on my door step when school time was o'er
And I wished for the time to go by
Now it has passed and I stand here tonight
To bid this old stepstone goodbye.

from Pete Gilpin and George Stephens, Bascom Lamar Lunsford: Minstrel of the Appalachians (Stephens Press, Asheville NC: 1966). Lunsford recorded this commercially for Brunswick in the 1920s, plus several times later while recording for the Library of Congress. Woody Guthrie and Cisco Houston covered it for an Asch recording in the 1940s, and this (via its 1960s reissue on LP) is probably whence its more recent circulation.

for a free download of Lunsford's original 78 RPM, here:

http://www.juneberry78s.com/otmsampler/otmsampat22.html

Subject: RE: Lyr.Req: Goodbye to my Stepstone
From:
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 12:11 PM

Think that's one of the two here at the DT.

Subject: RE: Lyr.Req: Goodbye to my Stepstone
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 01:34 PM

Mudcatter Pete Peterson's partner Kelly does a WONDERFUL version on a past CD of theirs....

I've done it for folks here in our area and it's always gone over gangbusters; the old imagery of the step stone is still very much part of many of the older houses here, plus so many of our young people must leave this area when young to "escape" the poor economy, but come back later in life to raise their kids here within their community of origin-- so folks here really relate to the whole song.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr.Req: Goodbye to my Stepstone
From: Mo the caller
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 04:28 PM

I thought it was a misprint for stepson.
We'd call it a doorstep I think, but never write a song about it.

Subject: RE: Lyr.Req: Goodbye to my Stepstone
From: Art Thieme
Date: 22 Nov 07 - 06:31 PM

Woody Guthrie wrote a song with this title.

Subject: RE: Lyr.Req: Goodbye to my Stepstone
From: Stewie
Date: 23 Nov 07 - 02:07 AM

Norman and Nancy Blake made a fine recording basically of the Lunsford lyrics posted above on their 'While Passing Along This Way' album Shanachie CD 6017.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr.Req: Goodbye to my Stepstone
From: bubblyrat
Date: 23 Nov 07 - 02:54 AM

Well, thanks everyone ,for such a great response !! And I am glad that it has such meaning for some of you too, and not just a sentimental old rambler like me ! Now I can get "She Who Sings "to get busy learning the words while I work out a musical arrangement---but I would really like my " Walt Michael and Friends " LP back--there are some great fiddle-tunes and songs on it !

Subject: Lyr Add: THE OLD DOOR STEP (Crider, Chase, 1880)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 24 Nov 07 - 10:45 AM

The original sheet music can be found at The Lester S. Levy Collection. Dale Rose posted the lyrics in 1998, but since they're buried in a thread with an unrelated title, I think it's appropriate to repeat them here:

THE OLD DOOR STEP.
Words by A. J. Crider. Music by Geo. B. Chase.
Creston, IA: Dr. J. W. Graves, 1880.

In Mudcat MIDIs:
The Old Doorstep (vocal line)
The Old Doorstep (with piano part and harmonies)

1. I stand on the doorstep at eventide now.
The wind whispers by with a moan.
The fields will be whit'ning but I will be gone
To roam o'er the wide world alone.
I stood on this doorstep when school time was o'er
And longed for the time to go by,
And now it has gone, and I stand here tonight,
To bid this dear stepstone goodbye.

CHORUS: Goodbye to this stepstone. Goodbye to my home.
God bless those I leave with a sigh.
I'll cherish dear mem'ries when I am away.
Goodbye, dear old stepstone, goodbye.

2. It is hard to be parted from those that we love,
When reverses in fortune have come,
And the strongest of heartstrings are broken in twain
By the absence of loved ones at home,
But I'll bid this poor heart cease repining in vain,
And hush'd be each deep heaving sigh,
Tho' the pain it will cost me none ever can know,
To bid this dear stepstone goodbye.

3. There are many temptations with which I may meet,
And sad mournful scenes every day,
And the faces at home, oh! I never shall greet,
Their forms will be so far away,
But I'll think of the dear old stone step at the door,
And oft drop a tear from my eye.
I will stand in my dreams as I stand here tonight,
To bid this dear stepstone goodbye.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye to My Stepstone
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 24 Nov 07 - 11:27 AM

Thank you, Jim. I was just coming in to do that very thing and you've saved me the trouble!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye to My Stepstone
From: wysiwyg
Date: 24 Nov 07 - 12:57 PM

As a singer I'd like to comment on the textual change: "door step" becoming "stepstone."

In some locales, "stepstone" is probably the correct term in use. But strictly as a singer, I can say that "stepstone" sings much, much better (at least to the tune I know). If it originated as "door step," I'm grateful that the folk process changed it, because if I had heard it sing first as "door step," I do not think I could have imagined singing it, myself. As a line in a poem, it works handsomely; as a song-- to the tune I know-- it doesn't at all. The vowels for "stepstone" fit the tune, and the snapping of the consonants fits the rhythm.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye to My Stepstone
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Apr 19 - 08:48 PM

If this song is so old why are these music businesses claiming to own the rights?
Is there a hanky-panky here? https://www.woodyguthrie.org/Lyrics/Stepstone.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye to My Stepstone
From: GUEST,Steve Baughman
Date: 27 Apr 19 - 08:51 PM

Sorry, I forgot to identify myself.   I am responsible for that last post. I’ll be eager to hear thoughts on. I once had ads appear on one of my traditional tune videos at YouTube.    someone had claimed to have an ownership I nterest in it. They got away with it for a while.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Goodbye to My Stepstone
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Sep 20 - 04:02 PM

needs some editing work. Larry Joba sang this today at the singaround.

from the singing of Bascom Lamar Lunsford (1882-1973) of Mars Hill, North Carolina, near Asheville.