Origins: Jimtown Road

Subject: Odd things which trigger a memory
From: MarkS
Date: 17 May 00 - 11:14 PM

Amazing how something current can trigger a memory from years ago.
While looking through the latest thread on breasts, I got a flashback to a tune I heard some years ago, and I think it was titled "The Jimtown Road". The part I remembered went

Ever since a lady named Pauline Slaughter
Moved down there with her well built daughter
The traffic's gettin heavy, on the Jimtown Road

Can any Catter fill in the blanks and tell the artist or the label?
Thanks
MarkS

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger a memory
From: Sailor Dan
Date: 17 May 00 - 11:22 PM

Cant fill in the blanks, but that site should jog the memory of the Dave, the old mariner pretty well.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger a memory
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Nov 04 - 10:35 PM

I remember that song and I've been trying to track it down. As I recall, it was recored by The Mills Brothers, circa 1968. I always thought it was Gin Town Road, but I haven't been able to find any reference to that.

Here's the verse I remember:

Hey Luther, wave to Brother Griffin
He's smilin' and he's headin' this way
He's been checking out the girl
On the Gin Town Road today
He says it's his moral duty
To see that she ain't doing no wrong
But that was early this mornin'
I wonder why he's been gone so long...

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger a memory
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Nov 04 - 09:47 AM

I couldn't find any lyrics, sound samples, or recent recordings, but I compiled this information from several web sites:

THE JIMTOWN ROAD: words by Billy Vaughn and music by Milt Rogers. Copyright 1968.

The Billy Vaughn Singers recorded THE JIMTOWN ROAD in 1968. It was on the LP "Alone with Today," Dot DLP-25897.

The Mills Brothers recorded THE JIMTOWN ROAD in 1969. It was on the single Dot 17198, and the LP "Dream," Dot DLP-25927.

By the way, there are several places called Jimtown – in California, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. Google finds lots of references to Jimtown Road (as a road, in addition to the song).

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger...(Jimtown
From: GUEST,Hey Thanks!
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 11:36 PM

The only thing I recall about the song was the line "the traffic's gettin heavy on the Jimtown Road". There was a spooky quality to the song: it had what I subjectively classify as a "Halloween Sound". I liked it. The Mills Brothers were favorites of my dad and he, for once, approved of my musical taste. The local station, WTVL, played it a lot. Anyway, thanks for the info to all and to all a good night!

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger...(Jimtown Road
From: GUEST,dave
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 07:28 PM

the lyrics I remember go:
Hey luther , pull up a chair , I'll stretch out here on the swing
I saw lightenin' over there, we haven't had a storm since spring
They stopped a Baron county car this side of Bowlin' Green with a load
and traffic's gettin' heavy over there on the jimtown road
----the chorus , I think , was the above lyric the started ......"ever since a lady named Pauline Slaughter" ....

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger...(Jimtown Road
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 02:34 AM

I suspect the first verse may begin:

Well, it's Saturday night
and everybody's countin' their pay

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger...(Jimtown Road
From: GUEST,wku
Date: 21 Feb 07 - 02:48 PM

the jim town composed by billy vaughn a native of glasgow ky.

the jim town road is the old russelville road in bowling green ky.

pauline slaughter is in real life pauline tabor the infamous madam of the bowling green brothel Paulines that was in business for over 30 years.

indeed the traffic was heavy when pauline moved in with her well built daughter.....

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger..(Jimtown Road)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Feb 07 - 02:29 AM

This page has Pauline's obituary:

PAULINE TABOR WEBSTER Pauline (nee' Martin)Tabor Webster, 87, of Universal City, Texas, formerly of Bowling Green,, died at 9:10 pm, June 8, 1992, at a Universal City nursing home. The Warren County native gained notoriety for her Clay Street brothel she ran for 38 years. She also operated a farm for several years and became possibly the county's first organic farmer. She was the daughter of the late William and Florence Gott Martin and the wife of the late Paul Webster. Funeral will be at 11:30am Thursday at J.C. Kirby and son Funeral Chapel with burial in Fairview Cemetery....survivors include a son, Raymond Tabor of Universal City, a sister Mary Tyon of Midland, Mich, seven grandchildren, several great-grandchildren, a niece and a nephew. Obituary - Daily Telegram, London England Pauline Tabor Webster, whe has died at San Antonio, Texas, aged 87, was madam of Kentucky's most celebrated brothel.....Pauline Martin was born Apirl 11, 1905 in Warren County, Kentucky and educated at Bowling Green High School. She married at 18, bore two sons and taught for a while at a local Sunday School. but when Pauline discovered that her husband was "sneakin' around" with other women when threw him out... In 1969 and urban renewal programme forced Pauline to close. She retire to the county, where she became a successful organic farmer.. She married first, in 1923, 'Jack' (Raymond B.)Tabor (marriage dissolved 1929); they had two sons, one of whom pre-deceased her. She married secondly, in 1952, Paul Webster, who also pre-deceased her.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger..(Jimtown Road)
From: GUEST,MarkS
Date: 07 May 07 - 09:57 AM

Hi All

Thanks for the help. I finally found a copy of the album and at last have had the chance to hear the song again after a long time.
Mudcat helps again!!

Regards to all

Mark

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger..(Jimtown R
From: GUEST,Gilbaradio
Date: 02 Nov 07 - 11:21 PM

The Jimtown Road written by Billy Vaughn, recorded by the Mills Brothers. I am from the same hometown as Billy Vaughn, Glasgow, KY. The Jimtown Road is Highway 163 better known as the Roseville Road in Glasgow. The song referred to some real life local characters. For example, the line "Hey honey waive to brother Grissom, he's smiling and he's lookin this way". That is a reference to Billy Vaughn's brother in law William H. Tubby Grissom, local realtor who married Billy's sister Charlotte (Coogie) Vaughn Grissom. Other local references include: "They stopped a Barren County car this side of Bowling Green with a load". Glasgow, in Barren county is a dry community . Bowling Green, in Warren County is wet, so to buy whiskey you have to drive to Bowling Green and bring it back to Barren County. A few more...."Puddin' Hagan in the courthouse yard" was a local character. His wife's name was Lucille. Billy Vaughn was the only son of a barber, he had three sisters; only one survives as of 11/07, she lives in an assisted living facility in Louisville

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger..(Jimtown Road)
From: GUEST,Guest, Avtar
Date: 14 Dec 07 - 07:04 PM

Amazing to see how this thread continues to have legs. That was my entry back in November '04.

Still wish I could put all the lyrics together. Anybody know how the verse with "Puddin' Hagan" goes?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger..(Jimtown Road)
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Mar 08 - 05:59 PM

I saw Pudd'n Hagan, sitt'n on the court house lawn
He said his wife Lucille's gett'n fatter than a tub of lard
Well he talked about that son of his, and how little Pudd'n Jr. had grown
And the traffic's gett'n heavy over there on the Jimtown Road

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger..(Jimtown Road)
From: GUEST,CMIPILOT
Date: 12 Apr 08 - 05:35 PM

I had been looking for this song for 10 years. Amazing. Just happened across the thread. Is it possible for someone to share a source for it? An MP3 of it? Anything? My email:

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger..(Jimtown Road)
From: GUEST,WKU
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 04:23 PM

Jim Town Road was recorded by the Mills Brothers in the late 60's. It was written by the great Billy Vaughn who is a native of Bowling Green Ky.
Paulene Slaughter is a thinly masked reference to the famous Paulene Tabor who ran "Paulenes" a very well know house of ill repute for over 30 years in Bowling Green Ky. Well built daughters.......well you get the rest. Paulenes was the little red brick house on Clay Street.

Thats why.... "the traffics getting heavy on the Jim Town Road". (Old Russelville Road actually).

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger..(Jimtown Road)
From: GUEST,Retorte
Date: 29 Jun 08 - 12:20 AM

The reply by Guest Gilbaradio posted 02 Nov 07 - 11:21 PM is almost absolutely correct; but the reference to the Roseville Road as KY highway 163 is wrong. The correct road number is KY Highway 249, going south out of Glasgow. Also, Vaughn was born in Glasgow, not Bowling Green as some posters contend.

There is a great AM radio station - WCLU 1490 AM in Glasgow, KY operated by Henry Royse and I am quite certain that the 'Jimtown Road' recorded by the Mills Brothers, written by Billy Vaughn from Glasow can be heard from time to time on that station as I know they had at least one original recording. You might call or write to get the lyrics and post them here for everyone.

Puddin Hagan was a Barren or Monroe County Constable and was still alive way up through the 1980's.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Odd things which trigger..(Jimtown Road)
From: GUEST,In-Law
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 06:46 PM

I was looking for Jimtown Road and came across this site. I was amazed that Gilbaradio knew so much Billy and his family. FYI, Coogie is still alive and kicking. She'll be 87 this November. I have alot of Billy's albums and bought the Mills Brothers album "Dream", on Ebay, which has Jimtown Road on it. I also have the other album Billy did "Alone with Today. I enjoy the songs Billy wrote when he was with the Hilltoppers. I didn't know much about Billy Vaughn until about nine years ago when I married his niece. Since then I've found out a great deal from my mother-in-law, Coogie. There is a book out called PS, I Love You, which is about the Hilltoppers and has interesting information about Billy.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Jimtown Road
From: GUEST,Walter Norris
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 09:16 PM

Approximation of the lyrics to Jimtown Road.

Well it's Saturday night and everybody's countin' their pay.
Turn on the porch light. Whew! It's been a long hard day.
Mama canned green beans. And Laura Jean, I reckon she sold.
And that traffic's getting heavy over there on the Jimtown Road.

Luther, bring out a chair. I'll stretch out here, in the swing.
I saw lightning over there. We haven't had a storm since spring.
They stopped a Barren County car this side of Bowling Green with a load.
Hear that traffic's getting heavy over there on the Jimtown Road.

Now ever since a lady named Pauline Slaughter,
Moved out there with that well built daughter.
The traffic's been heavy on the Jimtown Road.

I saw Puddin Hagen sittin' in the court house yard.
He said his wife Lucille was gettin' fatter than a tub o'lard.
He talked about that kid of his. And how much little Puddin Jr. had grow'ed.
Then he got in his car and headed for the Jimtown Road.

Hey honey waved to brother Grissom. He smiled and he's looking this way.
He's been checking that girl on the Jimtown Road today.
He said it's his moral duty to see that they ain't doin' no wrong.
But that was early this morning. I wonder why he was gone so long.

Now ever since a lady named Pauline Slaughter,
Moved out there with that well built daughter.
The traffic's been heavy on the Jimtown Road.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4PoGcxadZA

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Jimtown Road
From: GUEST,Tom W
Date: 16 May 11 - 11:08 PM

The Jim Town Road written by Billie Vaughn who is from the area.

The Jim Town Road Recorded by the Mills Brothers

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Jimtown Road
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 03:02 PM

I an thrilled to find this information on "Jimtown Road". What a neat song. Does anyone have a source of music or just then chords for this song. I think it is played in Am but with my semi-tin ear it could easily be something else.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Jimtown Road
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Jul 11 - 01:35 PM

Not old enough to remember the song, but was intrigued by the thread. I wonder, could Jimtown Rd. refer to highway 68-80, which goes to Russell County and thus Jamestown? On the other side of Glasgow, the same road goes to Bowling Green, also referenced as being on Jimtown Rd. Make sense to anyone besides me? My Dad, now 87, loved Billy Vaughn.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Jimtown Road
From: GUEST,Walt
Date: 16 Nov 11 - 08:49 AM

I listened to WCKY Cinninati from my home in middle Georgia in the late 60's and loved their playlist. Though I liked rock, like the Who, Three Dog Night, CCR, Alice Cooper, etc., I also liked the softer stuff and that station was great. I got the station at night when some AM stations are allowed to keep up their power, 50,000 watts, I think. I was 14 in '68 when they played this song from Billy Vaughn's "Alone With Today". I bought the album and still have it. I put it on CD and recently listened to it as I took my daily walk. That entire album is great. I love the female singers and the horns. I can't find it on CD. WCKY exposed me to Simon & Garfunkel, "The Boxer", Elvis' "Suspicious Minds", The Lettermen's "Hurt So Bad" and "Traces/Memories Medley",and others like that, so I learned to like all music except heavy metal. Today, music is a joke. If only the younger people could hear the stuff my generation listened to, they would see the difference. I never listen to the radio now. Even classic rock stations have too many commercials. I can take CDs and play what I want to hear, when I want to. Does anybody know if WCKY still exists? If so, what is their format? It was in the 1500 range of the AM band back then. It is a shame that music like that is no longer made, as far as I know. If anyone knows of music like Vaughn's that is available today, please post.
    I was searching for the lyrics to Jim Town Road when I found this site. Thanks for all the info that was posted.
    Walt
    Douglas, Georgia

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Jimtown Road
From: GUEST,Ric Lynch
Date: 21 Feb 12 - 06:16 AM

I own a book written by Pauline mentioned in Jimtown Road. She ran a house of Ill repute frequented by high society outside of Bowling Green, KY. The song is about her business.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Jimtown Road
From: GUEST,Avtar
Date: 24 May 14 - 01:21 AM

Nearly 10 years after my original post on this thread I found a recording online. Here's the link: http://lyrics.lucywho.com/the-jimtown-road-lyrics-the-mills-brothers.html

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Jimtown Road
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 May 14 - 01:24 PM

I haven't heard this song for years, and always wondered about the origin and lyrics, so thanks for renewing this thread.

These are posted as the Mills Brothers lyrics, little different from those posted by Walter Norris, but I'll copy them here for comparison.

THE JIMTOWN ROAD
Billy Vaughn

Well, it's Saturday night
and everybody's countin' his pay
Turn on the porch light,
it's been a long hard day.

Hey Luther, pull up a chair,
I'll stretch out here on the swing
I saw lightnin' over there,
We haven't had a storm since spring.

Hey, Luther, wave to Brother Griffin
He's smilin' and he's headin' this way
He's been checkin' out the girl
On the Jimtown Road today*
He says it's his moral duty
To see that she ain't doin' no wrong.
But that was early this mornin'
I wonder why he's been gone so long..

Ever since a lady, named Paulins Slaughter,
Moved down there, with her well-built daughter
The traffic's gettin' heavy,
On the Jimtown Road.

They stopped a Baron County car
This side of Bowlin' Green with a load
And traffic's gettin' heavy over there
On the Jimtown Road.

I saw Pudd,n Regan
Sittin' on the Court House lawn
He said his wife Lucille's
Gett'n fatter than a tub of lard
Well he talked about that son of his,
And how little Pudd'n had grown
And the traffic's gettin' heavy over there
On the Jimtown Road .

*On the Gin Town Road today; in the posted lyric.

http://www.roughstock.com/cowpie/songs/m/mills-brothers/thejimtown-road

Not so many houses today with the porch swing, but small-towns still have some. I fondly remember sitting on the swing when I was young, with a girl to fondle. Also those warm nights when iced lemonade was brought out to the group on the porch. And all the gossip. Long gone.

Mills Brothers recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uczfUlHPQhM

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Jimtown Road
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jul 14 - 11:52 AM

I first heard this song some 45 years ago listening to my short wave radio in the former Soviet Union. It grabbed me like no other song performed by The Mills brothers, although I consider them my all time favorites. My buddy and me spent long hours trying to decipher the lyrics, I can proudly say we came pretty close. Thank you all very much for providing this unique information on Americana, the world that has long gone.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Jimtown Road
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 07:54 PM

I am a former DJ from Glasgow, KY. When this song came out, it was an instant hit. We wore out two 45 rpm records on my show "The Weasel's Hour" on VGI ch 2 TV in Glasgow, two blocks from the court house mentioned in the song.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Jimtown Road
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 05 Mar 20 - 10:04 AM

Does anybody know the chords for Jimtown Road by the Mills Bros?

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Jimtown Road
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 05 Mar 20 - 10:15 AM

The chords at the link seem to work, although some of the shadings may be a bit different. It should get you started, anyway.

https://chordu.com/chords-tabs-the-jimtown-road-the-mills-brothers-id_YrBKgP4vfW8

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Jimtown Road
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Oct 22 - 08:50 PM

The “Jimtown Road” was the 19th century name for Kentucky Route 249–Roseville Road, today, although Vaughn’s lyrics are almost entirely veiled references to Glasgow and Bowling Green. See also Wikipedia: “Fountain Run, Kentucky”.