Lyr Req: Share Em / Shear Um / Cotton Bagging

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Share Em / Shear Um / Cotton Bagging
From: GUEST,Ron Hilburn
Date: 14 Feb 17 - 01:44 AM

My grandfather Walter Raleigh Babson (1900-1987) was a banjo and fiddle player from Brunswick County in southeastern NC. He played a tune called "Share 'Round, Ladies" that I believe is very similar to samles of the song "Shear 'Em" that I have found in the internet in the years since his death. Both he and both of my parents remember it being a popular tune at house dances in the area. The only lyrics I have ever heard were the chorus: "Share 'round, ladies, share round, share round if you please! I don't mind if you share 'round, as long as you share with me!" Here's a link to my Granddad's version on the fiddle, from his CD on the Field Recorders' Collective label: https://fieldrecorder.bandcamp.com/track/share-around-the-ladies

Subject: RE: Shear Em- Lyric and info
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Sep 09 - 10:28 PM

Well, it's a nice bit of fiddling with the band, but it is an intro and has nothing to do with the verses or the chorus of "Take Me Back..."

Subject: RE: Shear Em- Lyric and info
From: Richie
Date: 02 Sep 09 - 02:44 PM

Q,

Because Meade lists "Take Me Back To Tulsa" under Shear Em and a host of other fiddlers say it's the same melody- that is enough for me. If you do a google book search, there's a discussion about Shear Em with three fiddlers, one is Curly Wise who knew the song as Sharon.

I'm talking about the fiddle part that Wills plays at the opening of the song- that is Shear Em.

R-

Any other lyrics or info could come from Wills biographies, or western swing articles, which I don't have.

Subject: RE: Shear Em- Lyric and info
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Sep 09 - 01:33 PM

The note with the score on this song states "No date given." "There is no text on the MS score as reproduced here. The music does not fit the text given in III 565; it is completely distorted."

Volume 5, Brown Collection; Ed. Jan Philip Schinhan, "The Music of the Folk Songs," no. 510, p. 326, with brief score.
The music bears no relation to "Take Me Back to Tulsa." In a note, the author says: "Scale: Heptachordal, plagal. Tonal center: f. Structure: Because of the amateurish notation it is not possible to give any definite form. It probably is ab, but how many measures a has and how many b, is almost anybody's guess."

The fragment in vol. III, Belden and Hudson, "Folk Songs from North Carolina," is without melody. No date given, except "after the Civil War."
In the dialect common to both rural whites and blacks in Georgia years ago, shear and share are pronounced alike. My wife, raised on a farm in central Georgia, says it is share, but I tend to agree with you that 'shear' is meant (but shearing blankets??). Neither of us will guess on "Mon'lyn's Baniel."

The version in Folksongs of Florida makes more sense, but no melody is given. Mention is made that it is played by "The Orange Grove String Band," but their music is not given.

The Texas Playboys song was written by Tommy Duncan and Bob Wills; it is probable that Wills arranged the melody of "Take Me Back to Tulsa." Whether or not the melody is original with them or not seems uncertain to me.

Subject: RE: Shear Em- Lyric and info
From: Richie
Date: 01 Sep 09 - 02:18 PM

Hi,

I've put some info on my site which I'm redoing:

http://bluegrassmessengers.com.temp.realssl.com/shear-em--version-2-brown-collection-1800s.aspx

I'll post these lyrics.

'Share 'Em.' Reported by Mrs. C. C. Murphy of Ivanhoe, Sampson county, as sung by her father, J. N. Corbett, who learned it after the Civil War near Bainbridge, Georgia.

Oh, I din' ka' how you share 'em
So you share 'em eben ;
Share yo' sheep and blankets —
Share 'em, share 'em, share 'em !

If you want er see dem pretty gals
Look on Mon'lyn's Baniel —

Translated:

Oh, I don't care how you shear 'em
So you shear 'em even;
Shear your sheep to blankets—
Shear 'em, shear 'em, shear 'em!

If you want to see dem pretty gals
Look on my Lynn's hand wool—

Does my translation seem accurate?

Richie

Subject: RE: Shear Em- Lyric and info
From: Richie
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 09:43 PM

Here's Wills version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_MbgheFKxI

Richie

Subject: Shear Em- Lyric and info
From: Richie
Date: 31 Aug 09 - 09:25 PM

Hi,

I recently stumbled across the fiddle tune, Shear Em, and with some difficulty found some info and two lyrics versions.

Anyone know more about this tune?

It's also known as Share Em; Shear Um; "Cotton Bagging" and what is fascinating is: it's the melody to Take Me Back To Tulsa by Bob Wills.

Apparently Wills learned it from his grandfather and knew some lyrics but I haven't found any info about Wills' lyrics.

Anyone?

Richie