Lyr Req/Add: On the Old Fall River Line

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Old Fall River Line
From: GUEST,Roberta Dobbins
Date: 06 Jul 13 - 12:48 PM

I was born and raised in Fall River, and I would say that everyone in town knows the song, but I never met anyone who knew any part except the chorus. My father taught me a different version of the chorus, which is probably not in the original, to say the least. It makes me wonder if there other extemporized verses out there:

On the Old Fall River Line (2x)
A bum came in my backyard to see what he could find.
He found a pair of shorts, size 49.
Said, I bet my life
They will fit my wife
On the old Fall River Line.

I know, not a high point of Fall River haute culture. By the way, I recently learned that my grandfather at one time worked on the Old Fall River Line.

Subject: Lyr Add: ON THE OLD FALL RIVER LINE
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Sep 07 - 10:55 PM

Here's my transcription from the sheet music. A few words are different from the ones posted by Pelrad above.

ON THE OLD FALL RIVER LINE
Words, William Jerome and Andrew B. Sterling. Music, Harry Von Tilzer.
New York: Harry Von Tilzer Music Pub. Co., 1913.

1. Talk about your spooning and mooning.
Take a trip to Boston. It's fine.
Sailing up the bay, boys, hurray, boys,
I was on the upper deck when I met mine.
I said, "Sue, in your sailor suit,
You look certainly cute!"

CHORUS: On the Old Fall River Line, on the Old Fall River Line,
I fell for Susie's line of talk, and Susie fell for mine;
Then we fell in with a parson and he tied us tight as twine;
But I wish, O Lord, I fell overboard on the Old Fall River Line!

2. When the boat is landing, they're standing
Spooners by the dozen and more.
While the Captain's calling and bauling
"Is there anybody wants to go ashore?"
Ev'rybody just answers then,
"Turn the boat 'round again!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 09 Sep 07 - 06:16 PM

The link to Levy sheet music in the other thread (18903) is dead.

On the Old Fall River Line

"On the Old Fall River Line," words by William Jerome and Andrew B. Sterling, Music by Harry Von Tilzer; 1913, Harry Von Tilzer Music Pyb. Co., NYC.

Thread 18903: Fall River Line

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: 12-stringer
Date: 09 Sep 07 - 04:01 AM

Most recent Guest is the cheerful old 12-stringer with an expired cookie he didn't notice.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Sep 07 - 03:37 AM

Here's two additional choruses for the song, if anyone has the slightest interest -- from the 1913 record by Billy Murray. Both are sung after the "Turn the boat around" verse.

On the old Fall River Line,
On the old Fall River Line,
They make the trip in seven days,
Just multiplied by nine.
You could sail across the ocean
And be halfway up the Rhine
While you take a trip
In a battleship
On the old Fall River Line.

On the old Fall River Line
On the old Fall River Line
I lost an 18 karat watch,
A super, super fine.
I got into someone's trousers,
Then someone got into mine.
You can lose your life,
Yes and lose your wife,
On the old Fall River Line.

A very clean copy of the 78 is available at www.archive.org in one of the "Collected Works of Billy Murray" volumes.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: CRANKY YANKEE
Date: 25 Sep 01 - 07:01 AM

Hi Cindy

You cranky old buddy
Jody

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: Pelrad
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 02:36 PM

You can call any time, will usually get the answering machine. He is in the office most days, but it is his massage office and when he has clients he doesn't pick up the phone. Sorry, Jed, I didn't see your question before.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Sep 01 - 10:23 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: JedMarum
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 07:05 PM

Wow - thanks. I'll be calling. Is that a business hours only tel. no.?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: Pelrad
Date: 16 Dec 00 - 05:41 PM

Wickford Express didn't record this, but Compass Rose (my father's continuation of W.E.) has! On their new cd "Shipmates," released this summer, Old Fall River Line is the last cut. The tune has wandered ever-so-slightly from what is written in the sheet music, but hey, that's folk music...

The cd was produced by the group, so I don't think any stores are currently carrying it. But if anyone's interested, they can call Dave at his office, 401-848-2214. Mystic Seaport *may* be carrying it, but that's conjecture, not fact.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: seagoddess
Date: 09 Mar 00 - 10:19 PM

Jed - Whoops! I sang my daughter the wrong lyrics. Just found the sheetmusic and the second verse should be:

When the boat is landing, we're standing Spooners by the dozen, and more. Then the captain's callin', and ballin' Is there anybody wants to go ashore. Everybody just answers then "Turn the boat 'round again!"

Sorry for the confusion.

Sandy - Unfortunately, Wickford Express did not record this one...maybe someday! If I can find a recording of it, I'll pass the info on to you.

Sing on! Cindy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: JedMarum
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 08:36 AM

OK, Navigator, you've whetted our appeities; what's the rest?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: The Navigator
Date: 07 Mar 00 - 08:24 AM

You guys are incredible!! Now here's the nest one my Daddy sang, and I only remeber one line. Oh boys, oh joys, where do we go from here, anywhere from Harlem to a Jersey City pier

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 11:57 PM

Is the recording still available? From whom?

Sandy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: JedMarum
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 05:34 PM

Great info, Cindy.

My parents and grandparents used to sing the song. I used to walk arouond the waterfront where the old line would terminate, many years before. Though I was born in Fall RIver, I grew up 40 miles or so north west - and only saw Fall River on weekends while visiting gradparents and cousins. I have always had an interest in its history.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: seagoddess
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 05:18 PM

Well, my daughter has taken care of the lyrics request quite nicely, I think. Unfortunately, the sound on my computer is in the same 'broken' condition as her's is so I, too, cannot offer the tune over the computer. However, I can offer the following:

A little bit of history on this one would include the fact that many young couples of the day took their honeymoon on the Old Fall River Line, and this song was very popular among the steamboat travelers. Wickford Express has, on several occassions, had an elderly man/woman/couple come up from the audience and, with teary eyes, tell us how they remember singing this song on the deck of one of the steamboats, one of which sailed out of India Point in Providence down to Long Island and back. We found this song in the Providence Public Library's collection of local historic songs and we included it in our presentation, "Down Narragansett Bay." It has been a winner in our repertoire ever since.

Sing On! Cindy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: JedMarum
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 02:41 PM

that's what I love; a song with a happy ending!!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE OLD FALL RIVER LINE
From: Pelrad
Date: 06 Mar 00 - 01:37 PM

Okay, just to be thorough, I'll post these lyrics in both threads. I got on the horn to my mom this am and filled in the missing line. Here's the entire thing.

The Old Fall River Line

Talk about your mooning, and spooning
Take a trip to Boston, it's fine.
Cruising up the bay, boys, hooray, boys
I was on the upper deck when I met mine.
I said, "Sue, in your sailor suit,
You look perfectly cute!"

CH: On the Old Fall River Line,
On the Old Fall River Line,
I fell for Suzy's line of talk,
She fell in with mine;
And then we fell in with the parson
And he tied us tight as twine.
But I wish, Oh Lord, I fell overboard
On the Old Fall River Line!
Yes I wish Oh Lord I fell overboard
On the Old Fall River Line!

Now the boat has landed, we're stranded
Spooners by the dozen and more.
Hear the Captain calling and bawling
"Is there anybody wants to go ashore?"
Everybody just answered then,
"Turn the boat 'round again!"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 05 Mar 00 - 11:51 PM

Let's get this one back up for additions from others, hopefully.
Sandy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Old Fall River Line
From: JedMarum
Date: 28 Feb 00 - 09:10 AM

Thanks. I am not sure if I can recall the melody for the verse, so please let me know if you can find it.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE OLD FALL RIVER LINE
From: Pelrad
Date: 27 Feb 00 - 09:37 PM

Hey, you're in luck! The Wickford Express performed this one, which means that I know both tune and words. Er, let me run through it and see if I know ALL the words. I have only one crappy live cut on tape (sound quality is bad as it was outdoors unmiked), but if you come back tomorrow after I see my dad I can give you correct words, a history, and a recording if you would like. You'd best email me, because my sound driver is not working, and I can't do it over the computer. I'd be happy to snail-mail you a tape though. :-)

Alternatively, if you happen to know Tom Goux (near Woods Hole, MA), he and Jacek Sulanowski have also taken up the song.

Lessee...

The Old Fall River Line

Talk about your mooning and spooning
Take a trip to Boston, it's fine.
Cruising up the bay, boys, hooray boys,
I was on the upper deck when I met mine.
I said, "Sue, in your sailor suit,
You look perfectly cute!"

(CH:) On the old Fall River Line,
On the old Fall River Line
I fell for Suzy's line of talk,
And she fell in with mine.
And then we fell in with the parson
And he tied us tight as twine...
Oh, I wish, Oh lord, I fell overboard
On that old Fall River Line!

See the [whoops, forgot this line!]
Spooners by the dozen and more.
Hear the Captain calling and bawling
"Doesn't anybody want to go ashore?"
Everybody just answered then,
"Turn the boat 'round again!"

Subject: The Old Fall River Line
From: JedMarum
Date: 27 Feb 00 - 10:46 AM

Throughout much of the late 1800's into the last century a regular ferry line ran between Fall River Massachusetts and New York City, largely (I suspect) in support of the textile trades. There was a popular song from that era that may have been written as a commercial ad ... I would love to find this old song; lyrics and melody line. Anyone have a recollection of this tune? Or any ideas where I may find it?

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