Lyr ADD: Eighth of January

Subject: Eighth of January
From: Banjer
Date: 08 Jan 00 - 04:22 AM

Since today's date is also the name of the tune it seems appropriate to ask: Does anyone know if the original Eighth of January, the tune of which we know today as The Battle of New Orleans, had any words to it or was it just one of those old fiddle tunes? Why was it called The Eighth of January? Was there some significant historical event for which it was written or was that perhaps the first day it was ever played?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jan 00 - 05:01 AM

Well, Banjer, I used Max's new search engine and found something interesting in this thread. Apparently, it was written to celebrate Jackson's victory at New Orleans in January, 1815. Don't know whether it had words.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: THE EIGHTH OF JANUARY
From: Cookie
Date: 08 Jan 00 - 07:12 AM

I found this information on it:
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/today/jan08.html

EIGHTH OF JANUARY

One version recalled By:
Mrs. Mary Sullivan
Shafter, 1940

On the eighth of January
Just at the break of day
The wind blew from the North Course
And we were bound for sea.
The wind blew from the North Course
To Isdom (?) we were bound,
The hills and vales were garnished
With pretty girls all around.

Up stepped a young man
All in the bloom of years,
Stepped up to his best beloved
With his eyes all filled with tears.
Stepped up to his best beloved,
Gave her to understand,
I'm going away to leave you
And sail to the foreign land.

O my dearest Willie
How can you treat me so
To go away and leave me
In sorrow, grief and woe.
To go away and leave me
In sorrow grief and woe.
You know I've been in love with you
For sixteen months or more.

Then if I should go away
Some other would take my place
And that would be a scandal
Besides a great disgrace.
My king now calls for volunteers
And I for one must go.
It's not for my own life long love
That I do leave you so.

My yellow locks it's I will trim,
Men's clothing I'll put on,
Just like a humble servant
It's you I'll wait upon.
Just like a humble servant
Upon you I'll wait.
I dread and fear no danger,
Let the storm be ever so great.

Page image 0002

Then if I see some other girl
More handsomer than you
That I might take a fancy to
What would my Mollie do?
What could I say, dear Willie -
Why I would love her too.
I'd step to one side lonely
While she might talk to you.

O my dearest Mollie
Those words have won my heart.
Right here we'll get married
And never more to part.
They joined right hands together,
Went sailing o'er the main -
God grant them peace and pleasure
Till they return again.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Kim C
Date: 08 May 00 - 04:50 PM

It was always my understanding that the tune was written to commemorate Jackson's victory over the British, and was a popular dance tune for many years, as January 8 was actually celebrated as a holiday in many parts of the country. (I think we should revive that tradition, but that's another story.)

In regard to one of the other threads mentioned above, I thought it was Soldier's Joy that had been called The King's Head. (Whether the king's head was attached to his body at the time is anyone's guess.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Snuffy
Date: 08 May 00 - 08:46 PM

Look up "Lisbon" in the DT database for a version collected in Somerset in 1904, where it says "Another Cruel War/Banks of the Nile variant". Percy Grainger collected a version in Lincolnshire in 1905 of which only the first verse verse survives:

T'was on a Monday morning, all in the month of May
Our ship she weighed her anchor, all for to sail away
The wind did from the south-west blow, for Lisbon we were bound
The hills and dales were covered with pretty young girls around

O'Shaughnessy's book of Grainger's Lincolnshire songs says:

"Lisbon" evidently originates from the time of the Napoleonic wars. The title suggests the Peninsular War 1808-14, but another version of the ballad entitled "The Banks of the Nile" refers to the earlier expedition against the French in Egypt in 1801.

So both UK and US versions refer to roughly the same time period (1800-15). Can anyone trace it further back?

For an Australian version see "The Banks of the Condamine" in the DT

Grainger's tune is completely different to the Battle of New Orleans, and is allegedly related to the Lincolnshire poacher. He used it not only in his "Lincolnshire Posy", but also in an arrangement for 5 saxophones and another (lost) for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon

O'Shaughnessy says "The tune is in the Mixolydian mode, and, though repetitive, has great character... It moves about in a decidely non-harmonic manner, especially in the way it seems deliberately to avoid at first the mediant of the of the tonic triad. [me no comprende] Te art of the English folk singer, as Cecil Sharp demonstrated .... is generally not conditioned by awareness, conscious or otherwise, of harmonic implications.

(I think this means - don't ask for the chords, 'cos ther ain't none with this song)

X: 1
T:Lisbon
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:1/4=140
K:DMix
G|A2B A2E|D3 D2E|F2D G2F|D3-D2 G|
A2B A2E|D3 D2E|F2D G2F|D3-D2 E|
F2G A2d|d2c A2B|c2d c2A|G3-G2 G|
A2B A2E|D2C D2E|FFD G2F|D3-D2||

Wassail! V

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Hardiman the Fiddler
Date: 08 May 00 - 09:21 PM

This tune was also popular in the 70's as a hit under "The Battle of New Orleans." I don't remember who performed it; but it had different words from those listed above.

Hardiman the Fiddler

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 08 May 00 - 10:09 PM

It will have done!  Remember Lonny Donnegan's 1960s recording?  There are two versions of "Battle of New Orleans" on the DT:  The Battle of New Orleans  and  Battle of New Orleans.  See also a whole bunch of previous discussions on the subject.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 08 May 00 - 10:45 PM

Jimmy Driftwood wrote the words to "The Battle of New Orleans" that are sung by such as Donnegan to the tune of "The 8th of January." It was Driftwood's biggest hit and has been recorded by many singers since his first record was released. The other song discussed here, I suspect, is not related to the "8th of January" tune other than mentioning that date in the first line. Seems to be one of the "Cruel War is Raging" family of songs.

Sandy (making plain the obvious?)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: fox4zero
Date: 09 May 00 - 01:09 AM

The only version of the "Eighth of January" that I am aware of is found in the County Albums: Echoes of the Ozarks. It is a fiddle tune which I think was played by Pope's Mountaineers. Almost all of the songs are super! Larry Parish

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: jofield
Date: 09 May 00 - 09:45 AM

I would find it difficult to sing some of these rather florid lyrics to the "8th of January", but then I don't have to.

Johnny Horton had the hit of "Battle of New Orleans".

James in Bristol, RI

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: GUEST,Aldus
Date: 09 May 00 - 12:34 PM

I seem to recall that in Britain the Johnny Horton words were altered somewhat to say bloody rebels instead of bloody british....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: GUEST,Shara
Date: 14 Jun 04 - 10:59 PM

Tillman Gardner Helm, my family descendant, wrote "The 8th of January". He wrote it under a tree during a break. I would like to know how to get a hold of the music to "The 8th of January" for family history. He, Tillman, also a teacher and loved to sing and play his violin. My email address is [e-mail] if anyone could tell me how to go about getting this music. Thanks Shara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jun 04 - 03:35 PM

try here for tune

http://www.nigelgatherer.com/tunes/tab/tab6/8thj.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: In which the British came off rather
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 09:32 AM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 10:07 AM

Guest Aldus,
The words "blooming British" were used.
Bloody could not have been recorded back then.
Blooming is a mild expletive here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Scrump
Date: 07 Mar 07 - 10:16 AM

Yes, the BBC would certainly have banned Donegan's or Horton's records from the Light Programme if the word "bloody" had been used.

Seems bloomin' daft these days.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 12:03 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 03:02 PM

Good tune and song.....we should have included it here perhaps?

Best wishes,

Peter

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: GUEST,allan s.
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 06:38 PM

Wasn't the 8th of Jan also refered to as the old Christmass? or New Year? and was celebrated as such in the Appalachans before the change to the current calendar? Anyone know about this?? Scots Irish in England who came to America after the 1715 rebelion could have celebrated christmass on the 8th of Jan    Any ideas???

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Sorcha
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 07:05 PM

I thought Old Christmas/Little Christmas/Ephiphany was Jan. 6? Twelve days after Dec. 25?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 08:21 PM

Christmas fell on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians in the Holy Land, Russia and other Orthodox churches that use the old Julian calendar instead of the 16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants and commonly used in secular life around the world.

Whatever! No one sent me any more presents.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Jan 20 - 02:17 PM

I meant to refresh this thread a coupla days ago. Sorry we missed it.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Lighter
Date: 10 Jan 20 - 02:46 PM

Allegedly "The Eighth of January" tune was also (originally?) called "Jackson's Victory."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 10 Jan 20 - 03:21 PM

My mates and I played this tune at the very first pub session I ever played in. We paired it with Morpeth Rant. Beat that.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Mrrzy
Date: 11 Jan 20 - 10:39 AM

I am reminded of John Riley.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Felipa
Date: 06 Jan 21 - 12:27 PM

so that we don't miss the date this year
I've the same query that Banjer started the discussion with

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Felipa
Date: 06 Jan 21 - 01:08 PM

Has anyone composed words in Irish or Scottish Gaelic to the tune of the Eighth of January , or words about the 8th of January such as the lyrics from Mary Sullivan posted in this thread? I plan to sing in a session this Friday, 8 Jan 2021, but it is a session dedicated to songs in Celtic languages.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 06 Jan 21 - 02:17 PM

The Cow Kicked Nellie in the belly in the barn.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Felipa
Date: 06 Jan 21 - 05:16 PM

Dave, I found a few recordings on you tube of the Cow kicked Nelly and none of them went to the tune of the Eighth of January.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Felipa
Date: 06 Jan 21 - 05:22 PM

the Eighth of January tune may be based on a tune called Old Jake Gillie. I can certainly hear the resemblance on this recording of Jake Gilley played by the Floyd County Ramblers

I read the the Eighth of January used to be known as Jackson's Victory and that the title changed around the time of the American Civil War with the waning of Jackson's reputation and popularity.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Eighth of January
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 07 Jan 21 - 02:44 AM

Oops, wrong again, feck.

Dave H