Copyright: Cotton Mill Girls

Subject: RE: Origins: Cotton Mill Girls
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 29 Oct 02 - 08:59 AM

In my opinion as long as your lyrics aren't exactly the same as hers I doubt you have anything to worry about. If you've copied her version then you need to give her credit for it.

-Richie

Subject: RE: Origins: Cotton Mill Girls
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Oct 02 - 04:08 AM

Hi, Robin - I added crosslinks above to our previous thread (click) on the song.

As you discovered, BMI has three entries:

• Hedy West, publisher Unichappel Music
  
• Nancy Ames & Richard Scianni, publisher EMI Unart Catalog
  
• Staff Arrangement (?), publisher Alpha Musicana

BMI says Ames and Scianni also wrote
1. BIRMINGHAM JAIL 118172
2. CARELESS LOVE 184301
3. CHILLY WINDS 207866
4. COTTON MILL GIRLS 247685
5. CRAWDAD 255257
6. DEEP BLUE SEA 289727
7. HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN 589041
8. ON TOP OF OLD SMOKEY 1116296
9. RAISE A RUCKUS 1227443

Why do I have a hard time believing that? I suppose West may have somewhat of a legitimate claim on the song, but you'll see in the other thread that she learned it from somebody else and copyrighted only her version. Hedy stopped by here at Mudcat a couple of years ago, but nobody has heard from her lately.
No listing for "Cotton Mill Girls" at ASCAP.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Origins: Cotton Mill Girls
From: mg
Date: 28 Oct 02 - 11:40 PM

well, there are certainly some other great verses floating around...

I don't know where I got mine from..some book I think..

Every morning at 7 ?? o'clock we get two cold biscuits hard as a rock

Us cotton girls don't get enough for an ounce of tobacco and a box of snuff

They docked me a nickle they docked me a dime they sent me to the office to get my time

....

I think ;this is one of the all time great songs...

mg

Subject: RE: Origins: Cotton Mill Girls
From: GUEST,Robinpg
Date: 28 Oct 02 - 11:11 PM

here's the version I have:
It's hard times, Cotton Mill Girls,
hard times, Cotton Mill Girls
hard times, Cotton Mill Girls, hard times everywhere

v1) I worked in a cotton mill all of my life, ain't got nothing but this Barlow knife
It's hard times Cotton Mill Girls, It's hard times everywhere
chorus

v2) In 1915 we heard it said, move to the country & get ahead
        hard times Cotton Mill Girls, It's hard times everywhere
chorus

v3) Us kids worked 14 hours a day for 13 cents of measly pay
        it's hard times Cotton Mill Girls, It's hard times everywhere
chorus

v4) When I die don't buy me at allm, just hang me up on the spinning room wall
        pickle my bones in alcohol, it's hard times everywhere.

Hedy West apparently owns the copyright on it although there's also a copyright attributed to another woman. I was shocked, I thought this was a real trad. folk song!

Robin

Subject: RE: Origins: Cotton Mill Girls
From: GUEST,Richie
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 01:52 PM

Here some info from my database:

"The first strike by women workers occurred in 1828 when 400 women in Dover, NH walked off their jobs to protest working conditions. Life in the factories had not improved by the start of the 20th Century, and by the 1930's cotton mill girls were "turning out" in force with other workers demanding unionization, better pay and humane working conditions."

I think the song is related somehow to "Barlow Knife". I have it listed as traditional from one source.

Can you post your version?

-Richie

Subject: Origins: Cotton Mill Girls
From: GUEST,Robinpg
Date: 27 Oct 02 - 10:40 AM

hello all. I just recorded Cotton Mill Girls. I always thought it was a traditional song but have just seen that Hedy West owns a copyright on it from 1962, and so does another woman (whose name escapes me but she's listed on BMI's website). I'm not sure if these were arrangment copyrights with new lyrics or if in fact Hedy West composed this song. does anyone have any further info?

you can e-m me privately at [e-mail] or reply here.

thanks.