Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk)

Subject: hurrah for those green mountain boys
From:
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 06:02 PM

I am looking for a song that I learned at camp when I was a kid. The song was about the revolutinary war. The words I can remember are:

In a little valley, by a bridge they made their stand.
Just a bunch of boys, sir, oh, but they were grand
The redcoats couldn't find them, forward or behind them
Cause their eyes were keen, sir, and green the mountain land.

Oh the mountains sing and the valleys ring,
hurrah for those green mountain boys.

Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys
From: SINSULL
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 03:15 PM

Mbo has to know this. If we can get him off the island long enough to respond.

Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys
From: Susan A-R
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 09:19 PM

New one one me. Perhaps Margaret MacArthur knows of this one. She sometimes cruises through here, and might check her personal pages, also Wally Macnow may have ideas. I'll ask my historical music buff friend about it too.

Susan A-R

Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys
From: GUEST,Hutzul
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 01:58 PM

I have been looking for this lyric for years! I've probably forgotten the melody by now. I do remember it being sung by a female vocal group in the 60's and can only remember the same lyrics as LKC. Don't drop the thread, Mudcatters, someone out there must know.

Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys
From: GUEST,Nancy-Jean
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 02:12 PM

There is a "Green Mountain Boys" song in the Helen Hartness Flanders Collection, but the one I see is about a bunch of fellows getting rowdy with whiskey and good times and gurls, etc. I think this is not what you learned at camp as a kid. You woulda maybe gotten your mouth washed out with soap.

Keep tryin!

Nancy-Jean

Subject: Lyr Add: GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS (Bill Bonyun)
From: Mbo
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 06:08 PM

I found one "Green Mountain Boys" here but it doesn't have the same words.
--Mbo


GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS
As recorded by Bill Bonyun on "Who Built America: American History through Its Folksongs" (1950)

1. Oh, the Green Mountain boys came down, down, down,
Down from their green, green hills.
For the sake of their freedom, their only, only joy,
They came down from their green, green hills.

CHORUS: Oh, Vermont is a land where a man is just a man,
No matter his name or creed.
That's why the Green Mountain boys came down, down, down,
For the sake of their green, green hills.

2. Oh the green, green hills were hushéd down with snow,
And the green, green glens were cold,
But for Allen and his boys 'twas the finest time to go,
Every trail was a friend of old. CHORUS

Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys
From: Art Thieme
Date: 08 Jun 00 - 09:05 PM

GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS
from a group called the "Womenfolk" -- or something like that... on VERVE/FOLKWAYS maybe.

In a little valley by a ridge they made a stand,
Just a bunch of boys, sir -- oh, but they were grand,
Red Coats couldn't find 'em forward or behind 'em,
For their eyes were keen, sir -- and green their mountain land.

Chorus:
------------Oh the mountains sing and the valleys ring,
------------And hooray for the Green Mountain Boys,
------------Oh the mountains ring and the valleys sing,
------------And hooray for the Green Mountain Boys.

The farmer dropped his plow and took his rifle from the wall,
Another dropped his hammer when he heard the call,
They left their farms and wheat, sir -- to go plant freedom's seed, sir
To feed a hungry nation with freedom for all.

Every man was ready, sir -- as near as I can see, sir,
Behind the rocks and stones, sir -- and every bush and tree,
They waited for a sign, sir -- and gave 'em such a time, sir,
And sent 'em on their way, sir -- back across the sea.

In a little valley by a ridge they made a stand,
Just a bunch of boys, sir -- oh, but they were grand,
Their hearts were filled with love, sir -- the sky was red above, sir,
For their brothers everywhere and their mountain land.

Art Thieme...

---

Note: According to this thread (click), "Green Mountain Boys" was written by E. Sheldon - I'm supposing that's Ernie Sheldon.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 09 Jun 00 - 07:17 PM

Someone Else who remembers the Womenfolk -- my big sister Susie brought it home and was one of the things that hooked me. Probably a produced group a la the Great Folk Scare, but I didn't/don't care. First place I heard Rickety Tickety Tin. I asked about them here once.

Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys
From:
Date: 12 Jun 00 - 10:54 PM

YOU DID IT! Thank you for the lyrics, I had been looking for a long time. The Library of Congress suggested you guys, and you came through big time.

Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys
From: Sourdough
Date: 13 Jun 00 - 10:04 PM

"The Library of Congress suggested you guys"?

Now that's a vote of confidence and worth a public service star, Max.

Sourdough

Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys
From: Mrrzy
Date: 13 Jun 00 - 10:09 PM

Wow! That's great!

Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys
From: bflat
Date: 13 Jun 00 - 10:20 PM

Art, your post is wonderful. Makes me think about my college days in the Green Mountains where I never heard it sung. Do you know anything of the etmology of the song?

Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys
From: Art Thieme
Date: 14 Jun 00 - 04:14 PM

I don't know anything about the song at all. I just liked it -- took the words down on paper -- and saved 'em.

The miracle is that I actually FOUND them.

I'm glad I helped.

Art

Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys
From: Susan A-R
Date: 14 Jun 00 - 10:55 PM

I'm impressed!

Susan a-R (sheepish in VT why didn't I know that one.)

Subject: ADD: Green Mountain Boys (Ernie Sheldon)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 05:53 PM

Art did a pretty good job of a transcription. Can't tell if he did it from memory or what, but I was impressed. I have the advantage of the recent reissue of the 1964 album, The Womenfolk, Volume 2 Here's what I hear on the recording:


GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS
(Ernie Sheldon)

In a little valley by a bridge they made a stand,
Just a bunch of boys, sir -- oh, but they were grand,
Red Coats couldn't blind 'em forward or behind 'em,
'Cause their eyes were keen, sir -- and green their mountain land.

Chorus:
------------Oh the mountains sing and the valleys ring,
------------And hooray for the Green Mountain Boys;
------------Oh the mountains ring and the valleys sing,
------------And hooray for the Green Mountain Boys.

A farmer dropped his plow, took his rifle from the wall;
Another dropped his hammer when he heard the call.
Left their farms and wheat, sir -- to go plant freedom's seed, sir
To feed a hungry nation with freedom for all.
CHORUS

Every man was ready, sir -- hidden where no folk could see,
Behind the rocks and stones, in every bush and tree,
They waited for a sign, sir -- gave 'em such a time, sir,
Sent them on their way, sir -- back across the sea.
CHORUS

In a little valley by a bridge they made a stand,
Just a bunch of boys, sir -- oh, but they were grand,
The sky was red above, sir -- their hearts were filled with love, sir,
For their brothers everywhere and their mountain land.
CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk)
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Mar 09 - 01:16 PM

Much of Womenfolk music is still available on Rhapsoyd

Subject: Lyr Add: GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS
From: GUEST,kathyleigh26
Date: 09 Jun 13 - 08:36 PM

A few corrections:

GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS
(Ernie Sheldon)

In a little valley by a bridge they made a stand,
Just a bunch of boys, sir -- oh, but it was grand,
Red Coats couldn't blind 'em forward or behind 'em,
'Cause their eyes were keen, sir -- and green their mountain land.

Chorus:
------------Oh the mountains sing and the valleys ring,
------------And hooray for the Green Mountain Boys;
------------Oh the mountains ring and the valleys sing,
------------And hooray for the Green Mountain Boys.

A farmer dropped his plow and took his rifle from the wall;
Another dropped his hammer when he heard the call.
Left their fields in weeds, sir -- to go plant freedom's seed, sir
To feed a hungry nation with freedom for all.
CHORUS

Every man was ready, sir -- hidden where no foe could see,
Behind the rocks and stones, in every bush and tree,
Waited for the sign, sir -- then gave 'em such a time, sir,
Sent 'em on their way, sir -- back across the sea.
CHORUS

In a little valley by a bridge they made a stand,
Just a bunch of boys, sir -- oh, but it was grand,
The sky was red above, sir -- their hearts were filled with love, sir,
For their brothers everywhere and their mountain land.
CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk)
From: GUEST,Marcy Brooks
Date: 22 Aug 17 - 05:14 AM

I learned the same one from Fran Cameron at Happy Hills camp. You're not imagining it. But I can't find it on Youtube.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk)
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Aug 17 - 05:17 AM

I guess I didn't scroll down far enough. I see that a couple of you found it. Thank you so much! BTW - I live in sight of the Greene Mountain of Tennessee now. :)

Subject: Lyr Add: GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS (J.S. Kennison)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Aug 17 - 05:50 PM

From a field recording collected by Alan Lomax and Helen Hartness Flanders. The singer calls this "Green Mountain Boys" but a commentary here says it is an adaptation of "The Backwoodsman," a widely distributed North American lumberman's song.

This song can be found on the album "Thrufters & Throughstones: The Music of Vermont's First 400 Years" (2009) – heard by me via Spotify. My transcription:


GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS
As sung by J.S. Kennison* of Townshend, Vermont

'Twas on the year one [sic] hundred and forty-nine.
I felt myself quite happy to find myself alive.
I harnessed up my horses my day's work to pursue.
I went all in cordwood as my daddy used to do.

I'd hauléd only one load in the room of hauling four.
I went down to the tavern; I couldn't haul no more.
The tavern door being open, the liquor being free,
Soon as one glass was empty, there was another filled for me.

I met an old acquaintance—I dare not tell his name—
Who told me of a ball; 'twas going to be that night.
So with much persuasion, with him I did agree
To meet at the place where the fiddler was to be.

I threw my saddle on my back and went down to the barn.
I saddled up Old Gray [not] thinking any harm.
I saddled up Old Gray and we rode away so still,
She hardly drew her breath till we came to Sandy Hill.

My old daddy he took after me, I've often heard him say.
[If] they hadn't had a pilot, he couldn't [have] found the way,
Looking into ev'ry window where'er there was a light,
Till his old gray locks were wet with the dews of the night.

There was eight of us young gentlemen went on the floor to dance,
With eight as pretty French girls as ever came from France.
The fiddler being willing, his elbow being strong,
Played "The Grounds of Old Ireland" for four hours long.

The morning star is rising boys; you've all danced enough.
Let us gather up our cash and pay the old calf(?).
We'll go home to our plows; we'll whistle and we'll sing.
We never will be caught in such as free as this again.

Come all you good old people that carry the news about.
Don't tell any lies; 'tis bad enough without.
Don't tell any lies for to make any fuss.
You've been guilty of the same, only a good deal worse.


* Elsewhere he is called Josiah Kennison.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk)
From: GUEST,Keebie
Date: 29 Aug 17 - 12:18 PM

When I met the woman who eventually became my wife - fifty years now and counting - she had a wonderful record of The Womenfolk. It had "The Green Mountain Boys" on it. Great notes on the L.P. jacket by Alex Hassilev (The Limeliters). I have long since lost memory of all the words. Thank you for them! We lost the record in a house fire in 1986.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk)
From: GUEST,Jerome Clark
Date: 29 Aug 17 - 09:53 PM

I hadn't known, though I suppose I should have, that this ballad had been recorded. I've heard it precisely once, when a girl friend from my college days sang me a verse and a chorus, all she remembered from the version her grandmother had taught her when she was little.

I have always assumed that the song concerned Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys, a notorious guerrilla band in the Revolutionary War. Apparently there's another set of lyrics evoking rowdies from this or another era,

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk)
From: GUEST,Kirk S
Date: 27 Oct 20 - 02:22 AM

I recollect hearing this on an old vinyl, I thought by Burl Ives, singing of Ethan Allan and his Green Mountain Boys fighting the British.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk)
From: GUEST,Zoe
Date: 20 Jun 21 - 07:06 PM

Here is a recording of this song on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4oKmUPtG0A