Tune Req: Looking for a song, 'Why is the river...

Subject: Tune Req: Looking for a song, 'Why is the river...
From: GUEST,Music To Remember
Date: 15 Nov 20 - 04:08 PM

Hi there knowledgeable folks... when I've exhausted google and youtube I know to come to mudcat to get questions like these answered.

We were playing a gig (as we often do) for some beautiful elderly adults. We always ask for requests. One gentleman, after requesting "clementine," which of course is well known, requested a song that he referred to only as, "Why is the River so close to the shore?"

Of course that may not be the title, it may just be one line of lyric. We've been stumped before, such as when someone requested "See the Pyrenees" when what he meant was "See the pyramids along the Nile," from "You Belong to Me." That one took about a week to figure out.

But this one, "Why is the river so close to the shore" has me stumped. It isn't "Swanee," and we've also ruled out "Red River Shore," whether the Dylan version or the Kingston Trio one. And "Shenandoah" definitely doesn't fit.

"Why is the river so close to the shore?"

Ring any bells?

Whatever it is, it probably only exists as sheet music because it has avoided the internet entirely, as far as I can tell. But we'd sure love to bring it back and sing it for that gentleman.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Looking for a song, 'Why is the river...
From: Helen
Date: 15 Nov 20 - 05:08 PM

The only items which came up with a Google search on the phrase "Why is the river so close to the shore?" (searched with quote marks around the phrase) were from old newspaper articles about steam ships or paddle steamers perhaps. I could only see the couple of lines of information on Google. I didn't want to register for newspaper access because they wanted my credit card details. (No thanks!)

If you can find out some more information from the man who asked about the song it might help.

The usual questions:

Style of song e.g. folk, pop, C&W, etc? Fast, slow, haunting, happy, sad, nostalgic?
Singer/s: male, female, solo, group, harmonies?
Instrument/s: group, solo, guitar, piano, etc etc
Any idea of the year he heard it?
Was it on the radio, at a live performance, on TV, etc?
Anything else that he can recall, including any other lines in the song?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Looking for a song, 'Why is the river...
From: cnd
Date: 15 Nov 20 - 05:15 PM

He could be thinking of the line from the New Christy Minstrels song "A Treasury of Nonsense" which goes.

   "Why did they build the shore so near the ocean"

A pretty good page for a similar song titled "Go Get the Ax" which uses the same tune can be heard and read here

I'd put my money on him possibly mis-remembering that phrase, but I could be wrong

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Looking for a song, 'Why is the river...
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Nov 20 - 10:01 PM

Maybe look instead for "Why is the Ocean so Close to the Shore?" It can be located on the 'net. The U of Maine has it in their digital library. There are pictures of the song's sheet music with lyrics. Good luck.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Looking for a song, 'Why is the river...
From: oldhippie
Date: 16 Nov 20 - 05:56 PM

this verse from "If I Only Had A Brain" (Wizard of Oz) seems related:

Oh, I, could tell you why
The oceans near the shore
I could think of things I'd never
Thunk before,
And then I'd sit down and think some more.