Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee

Subject: Coot from Tennessee
From: Yo
Date: 29 Jun 00 - 11:10 AM

Anyone got the lyrics to this one? It starts with : There was an old Coot from Tennessee Lord he was as wicked as he could be He never went to church or Sundayschool

Somebody beamed me the lyrics once, but he didn't hear all the words right..... So please anyone? TIA Yo.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Mark Clark
Date: 29 Jun 00 - 11:34 AM

I believe the tune was written by the late Ralph Rinzler and was included on the first album by the Greenbriar Boys of which Ralph was a member. I still have my original copy of that record and will transcribe the words tonight if no one has submitted them here before then.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Midchuck
Date: 29 Jun 00 - 11:35 AM

That's on the original Greenbriar Boys album on Vanguard, which I still have on vinyl. It's attributed to Ralph Rinzler.

If nobody already has the lyrics typed out, I'll try to get them down and post them, but it might be a day or two.

Peter.

"I'm gonna run me a cemetary of my own,
If you don't leave my sweet gal alone.
Gonna buy me a razor, gonna scrape the blade,
Gonna lay some sonovagun (this was the early 60s) in the shade..."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Dale Rose
Date: 29 Jun 00 - 11:35 AM

It's actually Coon From Tennessee, done by Charlie Poole and others, someone has just adjusted the title. Actually, the CORRECT title is I'm goin' to live anyhow, 'till I die ~~ words and music by Shepard N. Edmonds, 1901. Go to American Memory Collections at the Library of Congress, enter coon from tennessee in the search box, select match this exact phrase from the drop down box, and there ya go. Two versions will come up, one from Brown University's African American Sheet Music and one from Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music. Charlie Poole adjusted the original quite a bit, though, as you'll see when you get there.

While you are there, explore a bit, TONS and TONS of interesting things available from the LOC, too much to explain here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Dale Rose
Date: 29 Jun 00 - 11:38 AM

How about that? THREE responses, 11:34, 11:35, and 11:35, who's next?? I imagine that it is a Ralph Rinzler ADAPTATION, the first version I ever heard was the afore mentioned Charlie Poole, recorded about 1930.

Subject: Lyr Add: COOT FROM TENNESSEE (from Greenbriar Boys
From: Mark Clark
Date: 30 Jun 00 - 01:19 AM

Here are the lyrics to "Coot From Tennessee." I copied these down from the Greenbriar Boys' record but I'm afraid, on my old copy at least, some of the words are pretty hard to make out. I've numbered each line so I can easily refer back and give other possibilities for the words on that line.

COOT FROM TENNESSEE

1. I know an old coot from Tennessee,
2. Lord, wicked as he could be,
3. He didn't even believe in Church or Sunday School,
4. All he believed was to socialize,
5. Having him a good time all his life,
6. Well he broke up the congregation when he stood.
   
   Chorus:
   
7. Sayin' I'm gonna live and how until I die,
8. This life I'm livin' it's so very high,
9. Sticks and stones gonna break my bones,
10. Will you talk about me when I'm dead and gone,
11. I'm gonna live and how until I die.
    
    
12. Now he went to Church last Sunday morn,
13. Everybody in the world was there but one,
14. Would you hear those mourners sing and pray,
15. When the choir begun to sing,
16. Every bell in the steeple started to shake and ring,
17. But he broke up the congregation when he said.
    
    Chorus:
    
18. I'm gonna run me a cemetery of my own,
19. If you don't leave my sweet gal alone,
20. Gonna buy me a razor, gonna scrape the blade,
21. Gonna lay some son-of-a-gun in the shade,
22. Oh, I'm gonna run me a cemetery of my own.
    
    Final chorus:
    
23. I'm gonna live and how until I die,
24. This life I'm livin' it's so very high,
25. Sticks and stones gonna break my bones,
26. Well I know you're gonna think about me when I'm gone,
27. I'm gonna live and how until I die.

Possible errors are as follows:

Line 7 is probably wrong but the words above are the only ones that make any sense. The line is garbled but probably ends in some kind of an "ard" sylable like "bard." Other possibilities for the line include: "I'm gonna live anyhow until I die" an obvious choice in light of Dale's information, "I'm gonna live in town until..," "I'm gonna live in Hell until..," and possibly even "I'm gonna lay right down..." it just isn't enunciated well enough to understand. The recording almost sounds like they forgot the words and threw in some mumbled syllables to cover up the fact though I doubt that those individuals would have let that go.

Line 8 may then end in the word "hard."

Line 11 should match whatever translation is used for line 7.

Line 14 may not begin with the word "would." The word is passed over very quickly so I can't be sure.

Line 16 actually sounds as if they are singing "Little Billy in the steeple.." but that makes no sense so I imagine what I've used is what they're actually singing.

Lines 23 and 27 have the same problems as lines 7 and 11.

If anyone knows for certain what the questionable words should be, please post them. I'd rather have it be correct if it's headed for the data base.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Yo
Date: 30 Jun 00 - 05:37 AM

Thanks Mark for doing all that work, but as I said at the start of this thread : Somebody allready mailed me the words he "heard". Their always be words to guess for like this. I'm in a beginning "band" so I do sing that song, but it would be nice if I had the correct lyrics to it.. Understand? Thanks again man, but I'll try a bit longer if you don't mind. Yo.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Dale Rose
Date: 30 Jun 00 - 10:04 AM

Yo, there really are no "correct" versions, unless you count songs as originally written, as I gave above, though I have never heard this particular song sung that way. Many times even the authors themselves will sing songs in different ways, sometimes even from one day to the next. I heard an early live version of I Feel Lucky by Mary Chapin Carpenter in which she refers to Chris Isaaks, yet when the recording came out, the reference was to Lyle Lovett.

From the looks of what Mark posted, I expect the Greenbriar Boys got their lyrics from Charlie Poole, and he was a notorious mumbler, so when he mumbled, they likely did, too. Even today, there is no solid agreement among music scholars as to exactly what Ol' Charlie was singing in this song or that.

Like Mark says, his version is just a starting place, and invites others to send in corrections. I won't mention them by name for fear of leaving some of them out, but there are a number of people here at the Cat who will likely be able to "work out" some of the kinks in his version. Then we'll have Joe straighten out all the mess and there it will be!

For starters, I think the line in 7 is live in the highways 'til I die. I'll give it a listen later when I have time.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson at work
Date: 30 Jun 00 - 12:10 PM

To me, the key line is line 7 (thanks, Mark, for all that work!) and the best recording is not the GB (despite that extra verse) but Charlie Poole's, which a number of people have listened to with interest and gotten these variations:
Tom Paley: I'm gonna live on the highways till I die
Mac Benford: I'm gonna live in the highwoods till I die
Pete Peterson: I'm gonna live in Hell until I die

Since Mac Benford was the one with working band (and he NAMED the band for the song-- see the album cover!) his version seems to be the most virulent meme. Dale-- do you agree that "on the highways" makes more sense than "in the highways"?

Whatever the GB sing, it's something slightly different.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Mark Clark
Date: 01 Jul 00 - 06:23 PM

Now I'm anxious to find the Charlie Poole version and listen to that. One problem I had with the GB version is the ending syllable of line seven. Even though I wrote it down as die, they do end that line with some sort of ard syllable. I too liked the Hell interpretation so one might wind up with something like: "I'm gonna live in Hell until I'm chared" (just kidding). One way to resolve some of these questions concerning the GB version is simply to ask John Herald who sang lead with the GB. The site at the link makes it look as though John would answer. Of course some of the folks here may know John and be in touch with him. They could ask him as well.

Speaking of Tom Paley, wasn't it he who re-titled another common Southern tune "The Pateroller Song?"

      - Mark

---

--- Tag fixed ---
-- PA --

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Mark Clark
Date: 01 Jul 00 - 06:26 PM

Looks at though I botched a </em> tag following the word die. Sorry.

      - Mark

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M GOIN' TO LIVE ANYHOW TILL I DIE
From: Dale Rose
Date: 02 Jul 00 - 12:59 AM

Here are three transcriptions of the lyrics, first for I'M GOING TO LIVE ANYHOW TILL I DIE from the original sheet music noted above, second for TENNESSEE COON from The Georgia Yellow Hammers, and third for COON FROM TENNESSEE from Charlie Poole and The North Carolina Ramblers. Note that I used Mark's structure to overlay the last two. The Yellow Hammers omit lines 18-22, and Charlie Poole condenses the first verse, leaving it without a line 6, he also leaves out 12-17, and since his choruses are all the same, I gave them the same number, so there is no 23-27. I think after reading Mark's transcription of the Greenbriar Boys, and living most of yesterday afternoon with the other two versions, I think it likely that the GB version is a combination of both of the earlier versions. I have not heard the Georgia Cracker version. I suspect that if anyone has it, Stewie does, I'll send him a note to look in here.

The original version actually has a couple of nice touches not found in the recordings. And he was togged up in his best and out on goodness bent; and also "the good folks I can't see ~~ If dat's religion, excuse me," I can hear those two phrases used to good effect in the song. I know there are likely a few problems with my versions, but that is what I hear! Try as I might, Pete, I couldn't get ON rather than IN out of CP's line. There are a lot of places where a different word is more grammatical or an additional word makes more sense. For example I think Sez I'm gonna (be) livin' high until I die makes a lot more sense in the YH version, but I just don't hear it.

---

I'M GOIN' TO LIVE ANYHOW TILL I DIE
Words and Music by Shepard N. Edmonds
New York: Jos. W. Stern & Co., 1891.

1. Now there's a coon down 'n Tennessee,
Who is as quaint as he can be;
He never b'lieves in 'tendin' church,
Nor goin' to Sunday school;
So all the people for him prayed,
And all the good things 'bout him said;
But he believed in superstition as a rule.
He believed in social strife
And hav'n' a good time all his life,
And to be so wicked he seemed not afraid;
They knew he couldn't live very long
So when they asked him to reform,
He nearly broke dat congregation when he said.

CHORUS 1: I'm going to live anyhow till I die,
I knows ma' kind of a life ain't very high:
With sticks and stones a you can break a ma bones,
You may talk all you want to 'bout me when I'm gone,
But I'm goin' to live anyhow till I die.

2. When he'd decided to reform,
He started off to church one morn;
And he was togged up in his best
And out on goodness bent;
He thought he'd be a real good coon,
And be a Blackville Deacon soon;
But much to his surprise, they had an accident.
You see the choir refused to sing,
Because the church-bell wouldn't ring,
Then this coon became suspicious and afraid;
He says, "the good folks I can't see
If dat's religion, excuse me,"
And as he left, these are the words they heard him say.

CHORUS 2: I'm going to live anyhow till I die,
I know ma' kind of a life ain't very high:
Now it's a fact and it is often said,
That when you die you are a long time dead,
But I'm goin' to live anyhow until I die.

---

From the liner notes by Charles Wolfe for The Moonshine Hollow Band, The Georgia Yellow Hammers, Rounder LP
1032:

TENNESSEE COON, Rec. 8-9-27. (Bud) Landress (fiddle and lead vocal), (Charles E) Moody (banjo and vocal), (Phil) Reeve (guitar and vocal, (Clyde) Evans (guitar and vocal) This version preceded Charlie Poole's more famous one by a year, but the YH version somehow never caught on. The Cofer Brothers, from Hancock County north Georgia, recorded an even earlier version of the piece as The Georgia Crackers. The song itself is probably of minstrel show origin.

TENNESSEE COON
As performed by The Georgia Yellow Hammers, 1927

1. There's a coon from Tennessee,
2. Just as wicked as he can be,
3. Never believed in Church nor Sunday School,
4. All he believed was socialize,
5. Having a good time all his life,
6. 'Broke up the congregation when he said.
(Spoken: what'd he say, Bud?)

Chorus:
7. Sez I'm gonna livin' high until I die,
8. This life I'm a livin' ain't been so very high,
9. Sticks and stones, you can break all my bones,
10. But I know you gonna talk about me when I'm gone,
11. But I'm gonna livin' high until I die.

12. He went to Church last Sunday morn,
13. Everybody in the world was there but one,
14. He just went to hear them mourners pray,
15. When the bells began to ring,
16. And the choir began to sing,
17. He broke up the congregation when he said.
(Spoken: what'd he say, Bud?)

Final chorus:
23. Sez I'm gonna livin' high until I die,
24. This life I'm livin' ain't been so very high,
25. Sticks and stones, you can break all my bones,
26. But I know you gonna talk about me when I'm gone,
27. But I'm gonna livin' high until I die.

---

From the liner notes (uncredited) Charlie Poole & the North Carolina Ramblers volume 4, County LP 540:

I'm gonna live in the highways 'til I die
This life I'm living ain't very high,
Oh, sticks and stones gonna break my bones
(You'll) talk about me when I'm dead and gone
But I'm gonna live in the highways 'til I die

When Charlie Poole sang that chorus in his 1927 recording of Coon From Tennessee in all probability he did not realize just how prophetic those words were. The lines from that song reveal his philosophy of life -- a "rambling and reckless" attitude that made him popular in his own time and a legend today. Later the writer noted that he was known to carry a razor. Note that their transcription gives what SHOULD be there, not what is actually there.

COON FROM TENNESSEE
As performed by Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers, 1928

1. There's a coon from Tennessee,
2. Just as black as he could be,
3. As he never went to Church nor Sunday School,
4. Says he went one day
5. When he heared that preacher say:

Chorus:
7. I'm gonna live in the highways 'til I die
8. Life I ain't a livin' very high,
9. Oh, sticks and stones gonna break my bones,
10. Talk about me when I'm dead and gone,
11. For I'm gonna live in the highways 'til I die.

Repeat 7-11

18. I'm gonna run me a cemetery of my own,
19. You don't let my gal there alone,
20. Gonna buy me a razor, scrape the blade,
21. Gonna lay some son-of-a-gun in the shade,
22. For I'm gonna live in the highways 'til I die.

Repeat 7-11 twice

---

Now for those of you who are still with me, I have included sound files for both songs on a still unfinished website, so when you get there, don't look around and snicker, just go right to the songs! My unfinished website The songs are set to download before playing, so you can keep them or pitch them after listening, as you wish. I have word that some have trouble downloading RM files. If they do not work for you, send me a personal message with your email address (or right here if you don't care who sees it, and I will send you the songs by way of email attachments.

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M GOING TO LIVE ANYHOW TILL I DIE
From: Stewie
Date: 05 Jul 00 - 08:52 PM

Hi Dale, thanks for the email. My computer has been down for a week, so I did not see this. I have the Cofer Brothers with Ben Evans version, recording as the Georgia Crackers. It is on Various Artists 'Georgia Stringbands' Document DOCD-8021. It varies quite considerably from Charlie Poole's version, but will take a bit of time to attempt to transcribe. I will do so as soon as possible.

The Charlie Poole version has not made it on any of the 3 County CDs of Poole yet released. It appeared on Volume 4 of the County LP issues devoted to Poole (County 540). In his 'Life & Songs of Charlie Poole', Kinney Rorrer's transcription of the song differs from yours as follows: in the first verse 'he' in all cases is replaced by 'she' (and, listening to it, I agree with him; line 3 'And she never went to church or Sunday school'; line 7 (you seem to have skipped 6) 'The life I aim on living's very high'; your line 11, he begins as 'But I'm gonna ...'; your line 19, he begins as 'If you don't ...'; and, in your line 20, he has 'gonna' repeated - 'gonna scrape the blade'.

Rorrer gives the recording date as 25 July 1927 - where does your 1928 date come from? The uncredited writer of the notes to County 540 (it may be Rorrer) made the intesting comment: 'When Charlie Poole sang that chorus in his 1927 recording of "Coon from Tennessee", in all probability he did not realise just how prophetic those words were. The lines from that song reveal his philosophy of life - a "rambling and reckless" that made him popular in his own time and a legend today'.

In his notes to the 'Georgia Stringbands', Tony Russell mentioned that the song was also present in the black tradition under the original title 'I'm gonna live anyhow 'till I die'. He cited Miles and Bob Pratcher as having recorded it. I knew I had some recordings by them, but could not place them. However, I finally tracked them down. As far as I know, they made no commercial recordings - they don't appear in Godrich & Dixon. Anyhow their 1959 field recording of the song may be found on Volume 3 of the Rounder Southern Journey series: '61 Highway Mississippi' Rounder CD 1703. No mention of 'coons' though - a bird of a very different wing. Lomax's transcription is:

I'm gonna shake it well for my lord
I'm gonna shake it well for you, gal
Well sticks and stones gonna break my bones
Talk about me when I'm dead and gone
I'm gonna live anyhow 'till I die

I'm gonna live anyhow 'till I die
Well, sticks and stones gonna break my bones
Talk about me when I'm dead and gone
I'm gonna live anyhow 'till I die

Goodbye Lord (2x)
Sticks and stones ...

Goodbye, lord, what you do (2x)
Sticks and stones ...

Well, I'm gonna live anyhow 'till I die (2x)
Sticks and stones ...

I'm gonna shake it well for my lord (2x)
Sticks and stones ...

I'm gonna live well for my lord (2x) Sticks and stones ...

Rorrer also noted that Bascom Lamar Lunsford recorded a song entitled 'Ise a-goin' ter live anyhow till I die' for Robert W. Gordon in October 1925.

I will get back with the Cofer Brothers version as soon as possible. However, my computer is scheduled for further surgery this afternoon - so who knows what will happen.

Cheers, Stewie.

Subject: Lyr Add: COON FROM TENNESSEE
From: Stewie
Date: 10 Jul 00 - 04:28 AM

Here's the Georgia Crackers' version - or what I could decipher of it - from 21 March 1927. It predated the Charlie Poole recording by 4 months. I think it is mostly correct except for lines 4 and 5 of the first stanza - if singers can mumble more than Charlie Poole, these lads achieved it there. I have put in brackets what I think the words may be. The style is very much a black one - if you didn't know, you would swear it was a black stringband.

THE COON FROM TENNESSEE

Instrumental intro

There's a coon from Tennessee
Just as wicked as he could be
But he never attended churches or Sunday school
All them good folks [heard him say ?]
All them good folks [was in to pray ?]
But he broke up the congregation with what he said

Spoken: What did he say?

I'm gonna start me a graveyard of my own
If these old rounders don't leave my women alone
With your sticks and your stones, you can beat on my bones
Yes, I know you're gonna talk about me when I'm gone
I'm a-gonna live anyhow 'til I die

I'm gonna live anyhow 'til I die
This old life I'm livin' ain't so very high
With your sticks and your stones, you can beat on my bones
Yes, I know you're gonna miss me when I'm gone
I'm a-gonna live anyhow 'til I die

I'm gonna start me a graveyard of my own
If these old rounders don't leave my women alone
With your sticks and your stones, you can beat on my bones
I know you're gonna miss me when I'm gone
I'm a-gonna live anyhow until I die

I'm gonna live anyhow 'til I die
This old life I'm a-livin' ain't so very high
With your sticks and your stones, you can beat on my bones
I know you're gonna miss me when I'm gone
I'm a-gonna live anyhow 'til I die

Instrumental

Source: Georgia Crackers 80595-B-OK 45008, recorded Atlanta, Georgia 21 March 1927. Reissued on Various Artists 'Georgia Stringbands Vol 1' Document CD 8021.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Dale Rose
Date: 10 Jul 00 - 11:24 AM

Thanks, Stewie. So now we have SIX quite different versions, counting the Pratcher version. It appears that none of the five recordings transcribed stay all that close to the original lyrics, nor to each other for that matter.

As to the 1928 date that I assigned to the Charlie Poole version ~~ chalk that up to carelessness and reliance on Charles Wolfe's comments. In the notes to the Yellow Hammer version, he says This version preceded Charlie Poole's more famous one by a year . . . and I simply tacked on a year when I was doing the transcription. I noticed the reference to 1927 in the Poole notes, but never thought to go back and change the date. Actually, it would seem to me that the Yellow Hammer version would be the last of the three, coming in August of 1927. Maybe it was a typo and should have been 1926??? That would make the chronology fit his statement.

As far as the Poole lyrics are concerned ~~ the reason I skipped line 6 was because he condensed the lyrics, and I was trying to make them fit Mark's original numbering system. I "sorta" hear the s on he that you refer to in the transcription by Kinney Rorrer, but I don't think it makes much sense that way. As to the other variations, I think you could put 100 people down to transcribe CP and get 100 different versions! For example, I saw the gonna in the notes to County 540, but somehow it seems to me that Charlie does not quite say it ~~ he probably MEANT to, though.

Well, Yo, there you have it, six versions to choose from for Coot From Tennessee/I'm Going To Live Anyhow Till I Die ~~ the original sheet music, three recordings from 1927 and two later ones. Which one is right? I guess I'd have to say all of them.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Yo
Date: 10 Jul 00 - 11:43 AM

Thanks guys for all your work on this one. Lots of versions from a song I only know from Mr. David Lindley. The first time I heard it I was in love with it, and now I learned that it's not just a song! Still I'm a bit amazed that nobody mentioned his version. I mean, David Lindley is a known singer in the US and all over the world no? Still, me and my band have enough here to make it work. I'll take a peek at your site Dale................... Yo!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Yo
Date: 10 Jul 00 - 11:47 AM

Oh, I forgot: What is a "Coon" ?? And Lindley sings "Coot" , is that the same? Is it something religious? Yo!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Dale Rose
Date: 10 Jul 00 - 12:19 PM

Yo, that is such an involved and complicated topic that I will have to think on it before I can give a good enough answer. Coon is a term referring to black people. I think we have had several discussions on the topic here; I will try to look them up and post the links here. In brief, I would have to say that it was not regarded as being quite as derogatory in those days as it would be today. The lyrics have been changed to Coot, so as to make it less offensive, and I think it would be good to use that term. It will likely be a couple of days before I get back to you on this. In the meantime, I will try to get some help from others who may be more articulate on the subject.

In the meantime, check out my site, and play the two versions I have there, by the Georgia Yellow Hammers and by Charlie Poole. I also have small pictures of the groups there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 10 Jul 00 - 02:28 PM

Oh Lord, Lord! I come back from out of town and find this! Thank you Mudcat! Thank you good folks in this thread!

Now to show you how stupid I was as a twenty year old...I sang "I'm gonna live in IOWA til I die"! I knew it didn't make sense. I knew Charlie wouldn't live in Iowa...but despite playing the phrase over and over again until I completely ruined the record, I just couldn't get "anyhow" out of it.

Rick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Dale Rose
Date: 10 Jul 00 - 02:31 PM

Aw, Rick, I heard Iowa, too, back in the good old days! (Just did not want to admit it, but your honesty makes me tell it on myself as well)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson at work
Date: 10 Jul 00 - 03:52 PM

Iowa?? IOWA!! What a wonderful idea. To change subjects, but not totally, I can remember a landsman (never seen a sailing ship) who sang Gordron Bok's song about Isle a Haut and thought it was sailing to Idaho. I would think that would be difficult, especially after they built the Grand Coulee Dam.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Stewie
Date: 10 Jul 00 - 06:39 PM

Dale, my apologies for repeating the quotation you gave from the Poole LP notes. I was in a big hurry the day I made my first posting to this thread and I must have skipped over it in your posting.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Yo
Date: 11 Jul 00 - 04:38 PM

Good one Rick!! I laughed my guts out! I played the song over and over again myself, but never heard Iowa. I'll be the one to sing it in our new band. I guess I could sing Iowa, specialy here in Holland, nobody would know the difference! Howcome youguys already know this song so long?! I looove this kind of music, and I think Mr.Dave translates it perfectly. Yo.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Dale Rose
Date: 11 Jul 00 - 05:07 PM

Yo, about the Coon reference ~~ you'll find a lot of information on the subject in this thread about Racist songs. I think you'll learn a lot from the whole thread; my response is the eighth one down. There I posted a link to Brown University's African American Sheet Music 1850-1920. Go there as well, and I think you'll find out quite a bit on the subject, including the sheet music for this song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Yo
Date: 11 Jul 00 - 06:15 PM

Thanks "Bro"..lol btw are you white? Yo.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Yo
Date: 11 Jul 00 - 07:14 PM

I've been to your URL , great! Did download anything yet but I will. Great to see an old song like that on "paper" You helped me a lot. Never knew things like this existed. Now I know why it's so hard to find the right lyrics to these kind of songs...Yo.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: GUEST,Dale
Date: 19 Sep 02 - 09:41 AM

The sound files at My unfinished website that I mentioned back in July of 2000 are still there, though the site hasn't been touched since then. Soon after I started it, I somehow lost access to it, and Freeservers was unable to determine the problem, so I started another one at Tripod which is only marginally better ~~ I didn't figure it was getting much use, so I stopped updating it except to add a few things here and there. http://goodoldsongs.tripod.com/goodoldsongs/index.html

At any rate, follow the link to listen to Coon From Tennessee by Charlie Poole, and Tennessee Coon by The Georgia Yellow Hammers.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Feb 07 - 12:38 PM

Hi all,

I'm sittin in edinburgh, scotland, looking for the words to the grrenbriar boys version of this so you've no idea how pleased I was to find this page.

Thanks for all your work.

Steven

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: GUEST,F. Martin
Date: 30 Jun 10 - 08:52 AM

For a somewhat different version of this song, which starts : "that coon from Tennesee, SHE"S as black as SHE can be..." listen to the album "CROOKS" on OPUS 3 records from the 1980s.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 11:57 AM

Mississippi State University has sheet music for a piano-only arrangement (no lyrics) of I'M GOIN' TO LIVE ANYHOW TILL I DIE, "Medley Two Step Arranged by Geo. Rosey from the Quaintest and most Popular Darkey Ditty of the Day." The two parts of the medley are labeled "The Leader of the Ball (Lemonier)" and "I'm goi'n to live anyhow till I die. (Edmods.)" [sic].

New York: Jos. W. Stern & Co., ©1902.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 12:44 PM

Another copy of the sheet music (words and music) to I'M GOIN' TO LIVE ANYHOW, TILL I DIE can be found at Duke University.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: fretless
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 01:23 PM

The song was recorded under the title Tennessee Coon by the Red Clay Ramblers on their album with Fiddlin' Al McCanless (orignial issue Folkways, Cd reissue Smithsonian Folkways).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: GUEST,WD Landress
Date: 04 Jun 11 - 12:24 AM

My name is WD Landress. That tune is from my uncle Bud Landress and the Georgia Yellow Hammers.

There's a coon from Tennessee
Just wicked as he can be,
Never believed in church or Sunday school.
All he believed was livin' a lie;
Havin' a good time all his life,
And he broke up the congregation when he said,
"I'm gonna live and howl until in die.
This kinda life...." etc.

I have a video on you tube singin' it. Look for WD Landress. Coon from Tennessee.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Coot from Tennessee
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 May 14 - 07:46 PM

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