Tune Req: Copperhead Road Original Tune

Subject: Tune Req: Copperhead Road Original Tune
From: StephenMillar
Date: 04 Apr 19 - 07:33 AM

Hi All,

Does anyone know the original tune used in Steve Earle's Copperhead Road?

There was another thread on a similar topic that didn't quite answer this question, and I'm wondering if anyone on here would know?

I've found a version of the song (from 1968) which precedes Earl's version, but I have a feeling it's based on an even older air. Given Earle's collaboration with The Pogues, I'm wondering if the tune possibly originates in Ireland...

Any help would be much appreciated!

Very best wishes,
Stephen

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Copperhead Road Original Tune
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 04 Apr 19 - 09:30 AM

The rather narrow contour of the melody is typical of many Old Timey fiddle tunes, like Cotton Eyed Joe, Shady Grove, Eighth of January (B part), Same Old Man, Sally Goodin, Forked Deer, June Apple, etc.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Copperhead Road Original Tune
From: StephenMillar
Date: 04 Apr 19 - 09:45 AM

Thanks for writing back, Jerry!

I take your point RE the narrow contour of the melody, but do you know of a particular tune or air that Earle is using? Further, Copperhead Road's percussive passage is pretty unusual. I'm asking because there was an Ulster loyalist song called Gun Runners that was written in 1968 that is exactly the same (same tune, percussive passages etc.) and predates Earle's song. I know Earle collaborated with The Pogues and it's possible they showed it to him, but given their republican sympathies, it seems strange that they would have learned the song via loyalism and then passed it on to Earle. Hence my hunch that both The Gun Runners and Copperhead Road are based an older folk song.

Another possibility is that the loyalist in question wrote the lyrics to Gun Runners in 1968 (or there abouts) and these were fitted to Earle's song later. Unfortunately the loyalist in question has passed away, so I can't go to him and ask directly. Further, given most of these records were produced 'underground', there isn't reliable data on when particular recordings were made etc.

If you're interested in listening to the version I'm talking about, it can be found on YouTube under 'Gusty Spence Interview 2' at around 13min 40sec. Here is a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziB316bUKBE&t=887s

Thanks again,
Stephen

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Copperhead Road Original Tune
From: GUEST,Jerry
Date: 04 Apr 19 - 02:16 PM

I’d not heard that song before, but yes the marching melody, and the drum breaks, are very similar to Copperhead Road. However, many Irish folk and rebel songs were written to traditional Celtic fiddle tunes, and it would seem likely that that loyalist song was too. Without leafing through my copy of O’Neill’s 1200 Irish Dance Tunes, I can’t identify it as yet, but there must somebody out there with some fancy software that can pinpoint it precisely much sooner than I could.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Copperhead Road Original Tune
From: Jack Campin
Date: 04 Apr 19 - 07:02 PM

There is a rather peculiar situation with Irish political music - the Republicans mostly use Scottish or English tunes (thanks to the 19th century balladeers, who pastiched standard broadside material) while the Protestants use indigenous Irish ones (song airs and pipe tunes from the late 1600s to 1800; the fiddle came along after).

Irish trad song to Orange flute band march to Pogues number to alt-country sounds like a pretty plausible process.