Help: Meaning of Six White Horses

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 14 Dec 21 - 05:05 PM

Six White Horses sung by John Leyton
B-side to Son, This Is She, the third of his 1961 hits
Written by Geoff Goddard, produced by Joe Meek

There was laughter and love we were happy
Till a tornado swept her away
I lost sight of my darling
In an angry cloud of grey

With six white horses and a golden chariot
There's no distance to great for me
I'll keep right on searching
Till I bring her back to me

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Dec 21 - 03:51 PM

Well, if it's a green Town & Country yes, but not if it's a blue one. ;-)

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: leeneia
Date: 06 Dec 18 - 05:21 PM

Not pink pyjamas, silk pyjamas. Again, a reference to wealth, glamour and fame.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: mayomick
Date: 06 Dec 18 - 04:44 PM

Goes right back to the Ancient Greeks Pete. Dawn's were described as "rosy coloured"

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: mayomick
Date: 06 Dec 18 - 04:35 PM

There is a pink loin cloth reference in the Book Of Revelations

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Dec 18 - 10:50 AM

When the Chariot Comes" and, by extension, "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain," are both songs about the Rapture -- the day when Jesus comes back to earth to play favorites. "She" actually refers to the the 6 white horse chariot he'll be riding down to bring about the End of Days.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,Pete from seven stars link
Date: 10 Jun 17 - 05:37 PM

Even more mysterious to me is ' she'll be wearing pink pyjamas ...',

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Jun 17 - 03:18 PM

100

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: leeneia
Date: 10 Jun 17 - 11:32 AM

That's interesting, Lighter. You are probably right. Doesn't help explain who she is that is coming around the mountain, though.

I still think it's an actress, singer or other woman with wealth and fame who is on tour and is coming to our humble town. (Yee-HAW!)

Two women who did that were Jenny Lind and Sarah Bernhardt. No doubt there were others.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Lighter
Date: 09 Jun 17 - 05:23 PM

It's supposed to be impressive, since the chariot carries the returning Messiah.

The song most likely comes from an African American spiritual called "When the Chariot Comes."

Here's a text and tune:

http://tinyurl.com/yc6spt6l

Scroll down to p.718.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Jun 17 - 03:06 PM

Agreed, Lighter. Still, coming in with 6 white horses is quite an entrance. One or two is pretty ordinary, and four is like a farmer with a honey wagon, but I'd be impressed by six white horses.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Lighter
Date: 09 Jun 17 - 01:39 PM

Why would anyone think that "six white horses" doesn't mean six white horses?

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Jun 17 - 02:44 AM

I gotta put my bit in. I've often heard the phrase "coach and six," meaning a pretty classy rig. There's also "coach and twelve," but that's getting ridiculous.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: mayomick
Date: 14 Oct 15 - 11:44 AM

By the title and the rhythm of the song, I'd say the "she" must originally have referred to a train - as Guest said a few years back.It would have been sung as a welcome to Mother Jones later.   The 600 horsepower bit is a bit of a stretch though- nobody would have "got" that sort of information overload in the song . A hearse coming round a mountain being pulled by six white horses doesn't make any sort of sense.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Oct 15 - 04:34 PM

Would six white horses mean he lives. Kennedys car was put back in service for many years. Why? He survived. The Kennedy wealth was from his father, a boot legger. Seems to me his father would have to be Al Capone to have that kind of wealth! Capone's vaults were emptied and one of the adjoining walls was the scene of the saints Valentine massacre I believe. John knew of the threat and was to teach his wife a lesson. Frank Geer shot from the front seat followed by Oswald followed by the secret service agent running up from behind. Jacky covered John in an attempt to save him. She went spread eagle on the trunk. John was on the yacht to see her again, he forgave her. No way does that car go back in service! President Kennedy was shot by the English and replaced by Johnson as was Lincoln replaced by y Johnson who happened to be his second VP. The conallys are English. Both Kennedy and Lincoln were Irish fighting for the African American as was president Reagan! Look at the similarities between Lincoln and Kennedys assassination attempts. Conspiracy !

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,blogward
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 05:53 AM

The 'meaning' of six white horses is of the pomp and ceremony. It's that she'll be prosperous, pushing the boat out, showing off, it'll be a red letter day. Whether it's a funereal symbol or not, can you imagine the amount of work and expense that would go into preparing, rigging and driving six white horses? Six white horses is as ostentatious as you can get without being over the top. Blind Lemon's image of two white horses pulling a hearse, presumably because no-one will pay for six, or the cheap undertaker has nothing better, is perfect. I bet they were broken down old nags.
As far as the sexual connotation goes, I suppose it's reasonable to imagine 'riding six white horses' being used to describe an orgasm, but only through the association with a joyous, hang-the-consequences occasion.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 30 Oct 11 - 11:46 PM

Don Barker, thanks for the info about the coach to Asheville.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,Seth G.
Date: 29 Oct 11 - 11:53 PM

Sorry, replace 'syntax' with 'wording' in what I just wrote.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,Seth G.
Date: 29 Oct 11 - 11:48 PM

After reading this thread I've formulated an amalgamated interpretation of the 'six white horses' symbol. (1)Take the notion of prestige with white horses because of their rarity. (2) Consider 'she' to be in reference to the chariot that is riding the horses (I know the syntax feels awkward in relation to modern English, but it seems appropriate to older generations). (3) Consider chariots to be the vehicle of choice for heavenly ascension--salvation.

I see it as an idealized, physical representation of the salvation that awaits. At least, that's the context I would most likely choose to use it in.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,don barker-Conover NC
Date: 14 Jul 11 - 04:43 PM

I hope this clears up the real meaning and originalalty of the song.
It has been a 'mountain folk' song for years. COMING ROUNG THE MOUNTAIN... DRIVING SIX WHITE HORSES. dRIVEN BY THE DRIVER OF A STAGECOACH.. jack pence. tHE STAGECOACH CAN BE SEEN AT THE MUSEUM OF NORTH CAOLINA HISTORY IN WINSTON SALEM, N. C. IT IS BEAUTIFUL....,
EVEN WITHOUT THE WSIX WHITE HORSES.

QUESTIONS: CONTACT ME

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,don barker
Date: 14 Jul 11 - 04:38 PM

TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT... THIS ORIG LINES OF THE SOUNG COMES FROM AN OLD RAILROAD SONG. WHEN THE CNW AND Western Carolina railroad has a rail line from Salisbury to Paint Rock and Henry ..in the Mountains. that was the end of the trackage at the time, SO the owers of the railroad had a stagecoach, driven by Jack Pence, who handled the ribbons (the Reins) of SIX WHITE HORSES, and drove the stage across the Mountains, to Ashville., during the night, without ever an accident or loss of life. thus, 'she'll be coming round the mountain.
so there you have it... it was written and put into song.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: mg
Date: 05 May 11 - 11:35 PM

I think it is also found in lily of the valley as sung by Cornish people but originally seems to be African American spiritual. I think the words go what is that chariot you ride..with four?? six? white horses by your side..but I could be wrong.

Of course, streets of Laredo..get six jolly gamblers, lovely maidens etc. mg

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,ed knights
Date: 05 May 11 - 10:20 PM

I agree that the song is based on an African American Spiritual. The tune is almost identical to the tune for a spiritual that's been passed down in my family since at least the 1850's. It's based on the parable in Matthew 25. Each verse has only one line, repeated five times as in "She'll Be Comin' 'round the Mountain When She Comes."
Verse 1) Who'll be the leader when the Bridegroom comes?
2) Six white horses when the Bridegroom comes.
3) Five of them were foolish when the Bridegroom comes.
4) Keep your lamps all trimmed and aburnin' when the Bridegroom comes.
5) Who'll be the leader when the Bridegroom Comes.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,Jordan Delange
Date: 28 Jan 11 - 01:43 PM

I have an old journal from my great grandpa who was a mine worker. In it he talks about "Mother Jones" comming to organize a strike and all the workers singing She'll be comming round the mountian for a few days before she arrived. He mentions how glad he is singing it because it makes his bosses so mad. For whatever reason the miners took that song and linked it to her. I've hear the railroader also sang it about her. Sounds to me like they took an old nergo spiritual and changed it just a bit to fit what they wanted.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: doc.tom
Date: 21 Jan 11 - 05:22 AM

Interesting to see the reference to the Apocolypse - first verse of the version of Jordan that got to this side of the Atlantic goes:

I looked to the East, I looked to the West,
I saw John Bull coming according,
With six white horses, flyinging through the clouds,
To look at the other side of Jordan
Take off your old coat, etc...

TomB

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,me!
Date: 20 Jan 11 - 11:39 PM

well I saw two and a half men and it say that its about an orgasm

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: meself
Date: 11 Nov 10 - 01:29 PM

I prefer to think that "she" is driving the horses of the Apocalypse. (Maybe she's hungry too).

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 10 Nov 10 - 08:17 PM

Driving Six White Horses is a methaphor for the front teeth. AKA ... she will be "HUNGRY." Hence, the killing of the old red rooster and dumplings - yummm yummm.

A parralell is found in the Nursery Riddle "Six White Horses on a red hill...first they chomp, then they stomp, then they stand still."

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

I could swear I posted the same answer nearly a decade ago.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,C
Date: 10 Nov 10 - 08:09 AM

Soldiers caskets were returned to families in the Civil War in a carriage drawn by 6 white horses. The image can be stretched to an individual's death or the horses of the apocalypse.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Jul 09 - 09:10 PM

a poem written after the death of president John F Kennedy by a 15 year old Candy Geer in Detroit began six white horses referring to the six white horses that pulled his coffin in his funeral procession

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Mysha
Date: 12 Dec 08 - 03:48 AM

Hi,

And there I was expecting an answer along the line of: "I made that one up; it's a play of words on x, y and z". It's a car, and to my European eyes it's not very pretty.

In the mean time I'm nigh wrecking my brains trying to recall the introductory verse that came with this when I first learned it. (Judging from the location I associate with it, it must have been somewhen in the sixties.) It had "She" being an aunt or grandmother, but I can't recall which.

                                                                  Mysha

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 08:46 PM

English may substitute a green estate wagon of their preferred make.

(I remember, as a child, begging a ride in a 1930s Rolls-Royce shooting brake that a local rancher had special-ordered. That would be more equivalent to a fancy matched team of six white horses)

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Nick E
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 08:13 PM

Google it

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Mysha
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 05:57 PM

Hi,

What is, or are, "A Green Chrysler Town & Country"?

                                                                  Mysha

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Nick E
Date: 10 Dec 08 - 06:44 PM

I think sometimes people try a little too hard in here. Would you ask the meaning of She will be driving A Green Chrysler Town & Country when she comes? Well, I guess some would!

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,rob
Date: 09 Dec 08 - 09:02 PM

Van Morrison sings of a carriage and six white horses in "Cyprus Avenue." Does anyone have information on the meaning of this symbol in Irish mythology?

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 05:11 PM

'In fact she would probably arrive driving one swaybacked, windbroken nag on its last legs, or else being rattled to death in a stage coach or a buckboard, bruised, sunburnt and grumpy as hell and covered with dust.'

But then she woulnd't have a kids' song about her. Instead she'd be in film noir.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Amos
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 11:02 AM

Fer cry-i, you guys. May I remind you that this song dates from the days of the Westward expansion and the Gold Rush. Hauling any kind of load required multiple horses in an array of pairs--left and right. Unless you use oxen or burros or mules. To arrive driving six horses was an event justifying some enthusiasm, since (a) it meant you had arrived at all which was always problematic and (b) it mean you could afford six horses. That they were a matched set is probably indicative that the whole thing was an exuberant day-dream. In fact she would probably arrive driving one swaybacked, windbroken nag on its last legs, or else being rattled to death in a stage coach or a buckboard, bruised, sunburnt and grumpy as hell and covered with dust.

A

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 09:19 AM

I stand by my post of June 8, where I maintain that the white horses represent white horses.

Since then, I've remembered reading about Sarah Bernhardt, the French actress. When she was broke, she had a standard method of making more money - an American tour. I'm sure the news that Sarah Bernhardt was on her way to an American town caused a lot of excitement.

Another woman who no doubt caused a lot of excitement was the singer Jenny Lind. Students of the frontier could probably name other performers who toured America.

I think the song is based on famous women making tours like that and coming to - our town, our farm, or our ranch - bringing excitement and glamour with her.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,Five white horses
Date: 19 Nov 08 - 10:11 PM

Does anyone know of a song with a title of, or reference, to five white horses? A man who attended Carter Stanley's funeral in 1966 recalls groups of people in the crowd (who were waiting for Bill Monroe to arrive) standing up and singing Five White Horses. I believe the man meant Six White Horses, yet still don't see it as a song to be sung before a funeral.

I will check back with the list, but also appreciate responses direct to [e-mail]. Thanks.

David

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Nov 08 - 11:17 AM

White horses usually represent angels riding to Earth to bring the spirit/soul to Heaven in an elegant procession. It symbolizes purity and renewal.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,NYMusicLover
Date: 26 Jun 08 - 12:31 PM

what I haven't seen here, is any referrence to the classic country song Six White Horses...Waylon Jennings. In the song he's the blind father of a young soldier in, I think, the Civil War.

"Come here and look through the window, Marie. Open up the shutters and tell me what you see. Was that his knock I heard at the door? Or was it six white horses coming up the road?"

I'd have to say that in that particular song, it either refers to a military party to notify him of his son's death, or actually bringing him the body.

So, I agree that, in some cases, the significance of six white horses has to do with death, but I don't think in She'll be comin round the mountain, that's the case.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 25 Jun 08 - 10:41 PM

You all need to stop being metaphorical and symbolic and realize that this song is the essence of guydom. The six white horses represent six white horses.

To show you what I mean - Last night I was reading a book about Charlie Moon, South Ute Tribal Investigator. Charlie had lost another girlfriend and had been moping for weeks. Finally, his best friend Scott shows up with just what he needs - a new shiny red F350 pickup with a remote-controlled winch and satellite radio. At great length, 'They discussed its truckly virtues.' And the healing process began.

The six white horses are the pioneer equivalent of the shiny red pick-up. They are fast, expensive and glamorous! They probably have red and gold harnesses and they are coming our way! Wa-hoo!

It helps if you picture the singer living on a hardscrabble farm in a dreary landscape where nothing exciting ever happens.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Celtaddict
Date: 24 Jun 08 - 11:37 PM

Likely nothing to do with the song, but with the thread subject: in rural Ireland, supposedly, it was said that if you saw six white horses (not all together, but in the course of a journey or day), you were going to be married to a farmer; possibly it was to the next farmer you saw.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,Dave MacKenzie
Date: 24 Jun 08 - 07:58 PM

When I was very young I always thought it was about trains - well, even at that early age I thought it was an American song, and American songs are always about trains, aren't they?

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 09:22 PM

Who was the singer that added the 'pyjamas' verse?
Was it in the Henry Whitter recording? The Vernon Dalhart recording? the Gid Tanner?

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Goose Gander
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 06:24 PM

Clearly, the "yippie yay" chorus was added by 1960s-era radicals who sought to coopt folk music for their own purposes.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 06:08 PM

OK, simpler question: when did the "yippie yay" chorus get added? The song didn't have it when I was a kid in the old-time cave days.

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 05:15 PM

Now I always thought she was coming back, bringing the dough she made in that city brothel-
No dough, she don't get none o' that chicken!

Subject: RE: Help: Meaning of Six White Horses
From: Goose Gander
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 05:08 PM

She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain as crypto-voodoo? Well, I hadn't thought of that one. I thought it had some sexual subtext, "she'll be coming around the mountain when she comes . . . ." Oh, never mind.