Lyr Req: Murderers on the Cumberland Plateau

Subject: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau
From: Flyer
Date: 04 Jul 09 - 05:37 PM

Looking for Lyrics, Chords, whatever for this great tune,   I believe it was penned by Robin and Linda Williams, it appears on Long Live Bluegrass!: CMH Records 30th Anniversary Special. I believe it was also on "In The Jailhouse Now: Prison Songs & Murder Ballads CD"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau
From: Charley Noble
Date: 04 Jul 09 - 07:54 PM

Flyer-

It is a fine Robin & Linda Williams song. I used to sing it myself, loved the tune as well, one of those modal Appalachian tunes.

I no longer have the words but it must be on their website. Have you tried searching for it?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau
From: Flyer
Date: 04 Jul 09 - 08:05 PM

Good point! I did several "Lyrics for" searches but did not come up with them, I did not think to check their Website, will do so now, Thx!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau
From: Charley Noble
Date: 04 Jul 09 - 08:13 PM

Flyrer-

Here's a link to their website but I'm not finding any lyrics: Click here for website!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau
From: Flyer
Date: 04 Jul 09 - 08:23 PM

Yup! Just got back from thier Website, no lyrics there.

Subject: Lyr Add: MURDERERS ON THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU
From: Charley Noble
Date: 05 Jul 09 - 11:33 AM

Well, I finally found a MP3 file and after listening to it came up with these lyrics:

By Robin & Linda Williams
As Recorded on Dixie Highway Sign, Track 11, © 1979

MURDERERS ON THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU

The oak and poplar trees grew tall around our mountain farm
With corn in the crib and tobacco in the barn;
The word came up from Pikesville, cross the valley to our door,
That men were dressed in blue and gray and headed off to war;
Our days of living good were short and little did we know,
We'd be driven out by murderers from the Cumberland Plateau.

Shiloh took a rebel boy and Johnson was his name,
His Pa called us Unionists; he held us to blame;
They caught my husband by the spring; they shot him from behind,
Leaving nothing but Hell's fury burning in this heart of mine;
I hid my babies in the woods, I kept their crying low,
No one could stop those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau.

They burned the house and the fields, they stole the cattle and the swine;
Their drunken laughter ridiculed my darling who lay dying;
No one was there to hear us as we sang our bitter tune
Of broken-hearted paupers on the wretched road to ruin;
So we headed off the mountains to the settlements below,
Driven out by murderers from the Cumberland Plateau.

I'm sunburned and I'm dirty and I'm mired in poverty,
And the memory of a distant grave is all that carries me;
My fists are white with rage, my face is flooded fury red
When I tell my sons the names of the ones who shot their father dead;
I can see it, yes, their unforgiving eyes do show
They won't forget those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau.

Oh, dread disease and famine, please don't take my sons,
I'll need them soon as they've strength to hold a gun;
We'll be going back for sure as this world turns around
And the hollows, creeks and snags will ring with the bloody battle sound;
Back up to Kentucky where the oak and poplar grow,
Back to slay those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau.

Back up to Kentucky where the oak and poplar grow,
Back to slay those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau.

I think I've transcribed it correctly but there are a few words that are hard to catch.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau
From: Gene
Date: 06 Jul 09 - 12:41 AM

Murderers on the Cumberland Plateau
Written & Recorded by Robin & Linda Williams

The oak and poplar trees grew tall around our mountain farm
With corn in the field and tobacco in the barn
The word came up from Pikesville, cross the ridges to our door
That men were dressed in blue and gray and headed off to war
Our days of living good were short and little did we know
We'd be driven out by murderers from the Cumberland Plateau.

[Shiloh] took a rebel boy, Johnson was his name
His pa called us unionists and he held us to blame
They caught my husband by the spring, they shot him from behind
Leaving nothing but hell's fury burning in this heart of mine
I hid my babies in the woods, I kept their crying low
No one could stop those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau.
(Shiloh is unclear to me)


They burned the house and the fields, they stole the cattle and the swine
Their drunken laughter ridiculed my darling who lay dying
No one was there to hear us as we sang our bitter tune
Of broken-hearted paupers on the wretched road to ruin
So we headed off the mountains to the settlement below
Driven out by murderers from the Cumberland Plateau.

I'm sunburned and I'm dirty and I'm mired in poverty
And the memory of a distant grave is all that carries me
My fists turn white with rage, my face is flooded fury red
When I tell my sons the names of the men who shot their father dead
Oh I can see it, yes, their unforgiving eyes do show
They won't forget those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau.

Oh, dread disease and famine, please don't take my sons
I'll need 'em soon as they have strength to hold a gun
We'll be going back for sure as this world turns around
And the hollows, creeks and snags will ring with the bloody battle sound
Back up to Kentucky where the oak and poplar grow
Back to slay those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau.

TAG:
Back up to Kentucky where the oak and poplar grow-ow
Back to slay those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Jul 09 - 09:11 PM

Gene-

You're correct that it's "ridges" not "Valleys" in the first verse.

The tune is also interesting in that it is definitely Appalachian but has more than two parts. I do prefer their 1979 rendition but it's interesting to hear their revised rendition.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau
From: Neil D
Date: 06 Jul 09 - 11:31 PM

Shiloh] took a rebel boy, Johnson was his name
His pa called us unionists and he held us to blame
They caught my husband by the spring, they shot him from behind
Leaving nothing but hell's fury burning in this heart of mine
I hid my babies in the woods, I kept their crying low
No one could stop those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau.
(Shiloh is unclear to me)


Shiloh was a major battle of the American Civil War. It means that Johnson was a Confederate soldier killed in that battle. The young man's father accused the family of the woman narrating the song of being Union sympathizers and took out his grief in revenge on them.
Whether they actually were Unionists isn't made clear but as the Cumberland Plateau lies in a border area (KY,WV,TN), Kentucky in this song, there would have been supporters of both sides. This led to a lot of brutal violence that was really peripheral to the war itself. The most notorious blood feud in American history was fought in that region between two families who had fought on different sides in the Civil War: The Hatfields (Confederate) and McCoys (Union).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murderers on the Cumberland Plateau
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Sep 12 - 12:20 AM

Any chance someone could tab/chord this for me?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murderers on the Cumberland Plateau
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Sep 12 - 10:04 AM

Here's what I hear:

Verse 2 line 1:
Shiloh took a rebel boy, Johnson was his name

Verse 4 line 3:
My fists punch white with rage, my face is flooded fury red

Verse 5 line 2-3:
I'll need 'em soon as they have strength enough to hold a gun
'Cause we'll be going back as sure as this world turns around