Lyr Req: Walkin' Boss / Walking Boss

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Walkin' Boss / Walking Boss
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Apr 17 - 09:49 PM

There's just a little bit in the Traditional Ballad Index on this song:

Walking Boss

DESCRIPTION: "Walking boss (x2), I don't belong to you. I belong (x2) to that steel driving crew." "Work one day, just one day, just one day, Then go lay in the shanty two." Etc. Verses loosely descriptive of life on a railroad crew.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1906 (collected by Newman Ivey White)
KEYWORDS: railroading work nonballad worksong boss
FOUND IN: US(Ap,SE)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Cohen/Seeger/Wood, p. 96, "Walking Boss" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #7693
RECORDINGS:
Clarence Ashley, "Walking Boss" (on Ashley03, WatsonAshley01)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Take This Hammer" (lyrics)
NOTES: A "walking boss" was a foreman who gave orders to workers' immediate supervisors, rather than to the workers themselves.
Source: Clarence "Tom" Ashley recalled this song being sung by railroad workers, probably in the 1920s. - PJS
File: CSW096

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Subject: RE: What's a Walking Boss?
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Apr 17 - 04:53 PM

Walking boss was the foreman , Ball the jack means drving a train at a high rate of speed.

Subject: Lyr Add: WALKIN' BOSS (Clarence Ashley)
From: BanjoRay
Date: 27 Jun 00 - 07:51 PM

The lyrics that Clarence Ashley sings on the Smithsonian Folkways CD are slightly different to those given on the previous link. They are:

WALKIN' BOSS

Walkin' Boss (x3)
Well I don't belong to you
I belong (x3)
To that steel Drivin' Crew

Work one day (x3)
Then lay down in the shanty too

Walkin' Boss (x3)
Well I don't belong to you
I belong (x3)
To that steel Drivin' Crew

Well I asked that boss
For a Job
Just a Job
He said "Son, what can you do"
"I can pull a jack
Line a track
(x2) I can pick and shovel too"

Walkin' Boss (x3)
Well I don't belong to you
I belong (x3)
To that steel Drivin' Crew

It goes really well with a clawhammer banjo in mountain minor (gDGCD)tuning.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'Walkin' Boss'?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Jun 00 - 12:28 PM

Doc Watson has a good version too, I think it's the same words.

~S~

Subject: ADD: Walkin' Boss
From: Pene Azul
Date: 27 Jun 00 - 12:06 PM

You can get the lyrics here (click).
(also e-mailed)

PA

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Played by Garcia and Grisman in 1991-92, and also by Garcia solo in pre-Dead days at the College of San Mateo on 10 November 1962. He introduced it then by saying "This is a song that was recorded by Clarence Ashley back in the 1920s."

WALKIN' BOSS

Chorus
Walkin' boss
Walkin' boss
Walkin' boss
I don't belong to you

I belong
I belong
I belong
To that steel driving crew

Well you work one day
Work one day
Work one day
Then go lay around the shanty too

[chorus]

Well I asked that boss
For a job
For a job
He said "Son, what can you do?"

I can line the jack
Drive a track
Drive a track
I can pick and shovel too

[chorus]

Work one day
Work one day
Work one day
Then go lay around the shanty too

[chorus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNK8zWXcTrk

Subject: 'Walkin' Boss'?
From:
Date: 27 Jun 00 - 12:02 PM

I've been looking for the proper lyrics to this tune for some time. I have heard Jerry Garcia/David Grisman duet version, but now cannot find it. Any help is must appreciated! Thanks, Oliver