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Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel
DigiTrad:
I'M A RAMBLER, I'M A GAMBLER (5)
UNRECONSTRUCTED REBEL
Related thread:
(origins) Help: Good Old Rebel - Want History, Etc. (10)
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: cnd Date: 07 Sep 23 - 09:57 AM Though the lyrics to Booth Campbell's recording are (mostly) in the video, I couldn't immediately find them in text version, so I transcribed them from the above. I'll keep thinking on the tune, but that's always a weak point of mine, so no promises. I'M GLAD I'M A GOOD OLD REBEL (as recorded by Booth Campbell) Oh, I'm glad I'm a good old rebel I won't care if I am I won't be reconstructed If I am may I be damned Oh, I followed old Marse Roberts For four years nearabout Got wounded in three places And I started at Camp Lookout Oh, I'm glad I'm a good old rebel Hat, boots, coat, and all I won't be reconstructed No sir, not at all I hate that Yankee nation And all they say and do I hate the Declaration Of Independence, too I hate that striped banner With all its rare and fuss Them lying, thieving Yankees I hate 'em wuss and wuss Oh, I'm glad I'm a good old rebel I don't care if I am I won't be reconstructed No sir, not a damn! I can't take up my musket And fight 'em any more But I ain't a-going to love 'em Now that am certain sure Yes, I'm glad I'm a good old rebel Hat, boots, coat, and all I won't be reconstructed No sir, not at all |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Lighter Date: 07 Sep 23 - 01:11 PM The tune I had in mind (I think) is part of "MacNamara's Band," by O'Connor & Stamford (1889). Related is Fred Seaver's "Solomon Levi" (1885). The tunes are similar to Campbell's but not identical. Campbell's father was a Confederate veteran, but there's no guarantee that Campbell learned the song from him or even before 1889. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Lighter Date: 06 Sep 23 - 09:23 PM Informative: https://www.southerncultures.org/article/the-good-old-rebel-at-the-heart-of-the-radical-right/ Vance Randolph recorded 70-year-old Booth Campbell's somewhat unusual version at Cane Hill, Ark., in Feb., 1942. This is it, but it was Campbell's father who was a "Confederate veteran": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nixg7wwuG2Y Campbell's tune reminds me of another that I can't quite place. In 1901 a Union veteran from Kentucky had written to the National Tribune (Washington, D.C.) for the words to a Southern song that began, "I'm glad I'm a good old rebel, hat, coat, boots, and all" - just like Campbell's. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Lighter Date: 06 Sep 23 - 06:36 PM The song was advertised as new in the Richmond Whig and Public Advertiser (January 1, 1867). The Richmond Times of Jan. 8 added the name of the lyricist: “NEW MUSIC Just published by Johnson & Chamberlayne, Music Dealers and Publishers … O, I’m A Good Old Rebel – Randolph (vocal). Price, 50 cents.” So that settles that. Two weeks later Randolph's song was advertised in the Raleigh (N.C.) Field and Fireside, with this editorial observation: "Its words are such as we should be compelled to condemn were they seriously spoken." But presumably they weren't. On the Jan. 30, the Valley Virginian (Clifton Forge) published the first slightly variant text (as "The Lay of the Last Rebel"), which managed to insert the "N-word." By March 7, the song was known in faraway Indiana, where it really was condemned by the Evansville Daily Journal, which called its author a homicidal "wretch" who proudly boasted of killing Yankees. On March 21, the Litchfield [Conn.] Enquirer reprinted the entire song ironically as an "indication of southern patriotism [to the United States]." By the end of the year, the lyrics had been printed in papers from Maine to California and Louisiana to Oregon, only sometimes with the "Joe Bowers" tune recommended. One assumes that the alternative tunes ("Son of a Gamboleer" and "Yellow Rose of Texas") were applied by readers unaware of the proper one. Had there been a hit parade in 1867, it looks like "I'm a Good Old Rebel" would have been on it. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: GUEST Date: 07 Sep 23 - 09:48 AM Sung by Leonard W. Jones (1868-1961), for collector Sidney Robertson Cowell in Pine Grove, Calif., in 1939. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017701788/ Oh, I’m a good old rebel, yes, That’s just what I am, For this land of freedom, oh, I do not care a damn; I’m glad I fought against it, I only wish I’d [sic] won; I don’t ask any pardon For anything I done. Now there is old Ben Butler, That thieving, sly old coon; He stoled all of our silver, Even our silver spoons. He burned up all our houses, And took our homes away; And as the only recompense, We killed the Yanks for pay. Three hundred thousand Yankees Now lie in Southern dust; Yes, we got three hundred thousand Before they conquered us; They died of Southern fever, Of Southern steel and shot; And I wish that’d been three million Instid of what we got. Now if there’s anyone in the crowd Don’t like the song I sing, He can throw himself upon his back Jump up and flop his wings; For I sing songs to suit myself, I’m just that kind of a man; And I don’t care a damn for U.S. Grant Or any of his radical clan. Those who don't like it may run around like headless chickens. The lines about Grant and Butler presumably date from 1868, when former Union General Butler was head prosecutor in the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson, and Ulysses Grant was elected president. Jones's tune is somewhere between "Sam Bass" and "Son of a Gambolier." |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Lighter Date: 07 Sep 23 - 01:11 PM The tune I had in mind (I think) is part of "MacNamara's Band," by O'Connor & Stamford (1889). Related is Fred Seaver's "Solomon Levi" (1885). The tunes are similar to Campbell's but not identical. Campbell's father was a Confederate veteran, but there's no guarantee that Campbell learned the song from him or even before 1889. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: cnd Date: 07 Sep 23 - 09:57 AM Though the lyrics to Booth Campbell's recording are (mostly) in the video, I couldn't immediately find them in text version, so I transcribed them from the above. I'll keep thinking on the tune, but that's always a weak point of mine, so no promises. I'M GLAD I'M A GOOD OLD REBEL (as recorded by Booth Campbell) Oh, I'm glad I'm a good old rebel I won't care if I am I won't be reconstructed If I am may I be damned Oh, I followed old Marse Roberts For four years nearabout Got wounded in three places And I started at Camp Lookout Oh, I'm glad I'm a good old rebel Hat, boots, coat, and all I won't be reconstructed No sir, not at all I hate that Yankee nation And all they say and do I hate the Declaration Of Independence, too I hate that striped banner With all its rare and fuss Them lying, thieving Yankees I hate 'em wuss and wuss Oh, I'm glad I'm a good old rebel I don't care if I am I won't be reconstructed No sir, not a damn! I can't take up my musket And fight 'em any more But I ain't a-going to love 'em Now that am certain sure Yes, I'm glad I'm a good old rebel Hat, boots, coat, and all I won't be reconstructed No sir, not at all |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: GUEST Date: 07 Sep 23 - 09:48 AM Sung by Leonard W. Jones (1868-1961), for collector Sidney Robertson Cowell in Pine Grove, Calif., in 1939. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017701788/ Oh, I’m a good old rebel, yes, That’s just what I am, For this land of freedom, oh, I do not care a damn; I’m glad I fought against it, I only wish I’d [sic] won; I don’t ask any pardon For anything I done. Now there is old Ben Butler, That thieving, sly old coon; He stoled all of our silver, Even our silver spoons. He burned up all our houses, And took our homes away; And as the only recompense, We killed the Yanks for pay. Three hundred thousand Yankees Now lie in Southern dust; Yes, we got three hundred thousand Before they conquered us; They died of Southern fever, Of Southern steel and shot; And I wish that’d been three million Instid of what we got. Now if there’s anyone in the crowd Don’t like the song I sing, He can throw himself upon his back Jump up and flop his wings; For I sing songs to suit myself, I’m just that kind of a man; And I don’t care a damn for U.S. Grant Or any of his radical clan. Those who don't like it may run around like headless chickens. The lines about Grant and Butler presumably date from 1868, when former Union General Butler was head prosecutor in the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson, and Ulysses Grant was elected president. Jones's tune is somewhere between "Sam Bass" and "Son of a Gambolier." |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Lighter Date: 06 Sep 23 - 09:23 PM Informative: https://www.southerncultures.org/article/the-good-old-rebel-at-the-heart-of-the-radical-right/ Vance Randolph recorded 70-year-old Booth Campbell's somewhat unusual version at Cane Hill, Ark., in Feb., 1942. This is it, but it was Campbell's father who was a "Confederate veteran": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nixg7wwuG2Y Campbell's tune reminds me of another that I can't quite place. In 1901 a Union veteran from Kentucky had written to the National Tribune (Washington, D.C.) for the words to a Southern song that began, "I'm glad I'm a good old rebel, hat, coat, boots, and all" - just like Campbell's. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Lighter Date: 06 Sep 23 - 06:36 PM The song was advertised as new in the Richmond Whig and Public Advertiser (January 1, 1867). The Richmond Times of Jan. 8 added the name of the lyricist: “NEW MUSIC Just published by Johnson & Chamberlayne, Music Dealers and Publishers … O, I’m A Good Old Rebel – Randolph (vocal). Price, 50 cents.” So that settles that. Two weeks later Randolph's song was advertised in the Raleigh (N.C.) Field and Fireside, with this editorial observation: "Its words are such as we should be compelled to condemn were they seriously spoken." But presumably they weren't. On the Jan. 30, the Valley Virginian (Clifton Forge) published the first slightly variant text (as "The Lay of the Last Rebel"), which managed to insert the "N-word." By March 7, the song was known in faraway Indiana, where it really was condemned by the Evansville Daily Journal, which called its author a homicidal "wretch" who proudly boasted of killing Yankees. On March 21, the Litchfield [Conn.] Enquirer reprinted the entire song ironically as an "indication of southern patriotism [to the United States]." By the end of the year, the lyrics had been printed in papers from Maine to California and Louisiana to Oregon, only sometimes with the "Joe Bowers" tune recommended. One assumes that the alternative tunes ("Son of a Gamboleer" and "Yellow Rose of Texas") were applied by readers unaware of the proper one. Had there been a hit parade in 1867, it looks like "I'm a Good Old Rebel" would have been on it. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: O I'M A GOOD OLD REBEL.(I. Randolph) From: Jim Dixon Date: 10 Apr 13 - 04:35 PM From sheet music at The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection. (There is no publication data.) O I'M A GOOD OLD REBEL. A Chaunt to the Wild Western Melody, "Joe Bowers." Respectfully dedicated to the Hon. Thad. Stevens. By IR* O I'm a good old rebel, Now that's just what I am, For this "Fair Land of Freedom" I do not care at all; [sic] I'm glad I fit against it— I only wish we'd won And I don't want no pardon For any thing I done. I hate the Constitution, This Great Republic, too, I hates the Freedman's Buro, In uniforms of blue; I hates the nasty eagle, With all his braggs and fuss, The lyin', thievin' Yankees, I hates 'em wuss and wuss. I hates the Yankee nation And everything they do, I hates the Declaration Of Independence, too; I hates the glorious Union— 'Tis dripping with our blood— I hates their striped banner, I fit it all I could. I followed old mas' Robert For four year, near about, Got wounded in three places And starved at Pint Lookout; I cotch the roomatism A campin' in the snow, But I killed a chance o' Yankees, I'd like to kill some mo'. Three hundred thousand Yankees Is stiff in Southern dust; We got three hundred thousand Before they conquered us; They died of Southern fever And Southern steel and shot, I wish they was three million Instead of what we got. I can't take up my musket And fight 'em now no more, But I ain't a going to love 'em, Now that is sarten sure; And I don't want no pardon For what I was and am, I won't be reconstructed And I don't care a dam. [* The "I" is engraved superimposed on the "R"—or is it the other way round? Does the monogram represent "I. R." or "R. I."? Except that the poem is attributed elsewhere to Innes Randolph, I wouldn't have a clue.] |
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Subject: Lyr Add: RECONSTRUCTION SONG From: Jim Dixon Date: 10 Apr 13 - 03:45 PM This is the oldest version I can find with Google Books. I have not found any information about when, where, etc., the play was performed. From a play, The Tragedy of Abraham Lincoln, or, The Rise and Fall of the Confederate States by Hiram D. Torrie & Selden Whitaker Crowe* (New York: Dr. C. W. Selden, 1881), page 62: RECONSTRUCTION SONG, Air, "Joe Bowers." "Oh, I'm a good old Rebel, Now that's just what I am; For this fair land of freedom I do not care a damn. I'm glad I fought against it, I only wish I'd won, I don't want any pardon For anything I've done. "I hate the Constitution, This great republic too; I hate the Freedman's Bureau, In uniforms of blue; I hate the nasty eagle, With all its brag and fuss; The lying, thieving Yankees, I hate them worse and worse. "I hate the Yankee nation, And everything they do; I hate the Declaration Of Independence too; I hate the glorious Union, 'Tis dripping with our blood; I hate the striped banner, I fought it all I could. "Five hundred thousand Yankees Lie stiff in Southern dust; We lost three hundred thousand Before they conquered us. They died of Southern fever, And Southern steel and shot, I wish it was ten million Instead of what we got. "I cannot raise an army, To fight 'em any more; And I will never like them, Now that is certain sure. But I don't want any pardon For what I was and am; I won't be reconstructed, If I do, may I be damned." [This song is sung by Jeff Davis at the very end of the play. [* The authors' names are supplied by the cataloguer; they are not printed in the book.] |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Lighter Date: 05 Apr 13 - 08:45 AM You're welcome. "Son of a Gambolier" seems to be sung by Hoyt Axton, but "Joe Bowers" is Ry Cooder. A sample of a version sung to a tune resembling "Get Along Home, Cindy, Cindy": http://www.emusic.com/album/idlewild-2/promontory/12028849/ |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: GUEST,gillymor Date: 05 Apr 13 - 08:30 AM Lighter, thanks for the links at 7:42 P.M. on 4/1/13. I hadn't heard it in awhile. BTW,it was Hoyt Axton, not Ry Cooder, singing. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Greg F. Date: 04 Apr 13 - 05:22 PM Cute. Got anything cogent and/or substantive to say? |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 04 Apr 13 - 11:54 AM Masie, git the swatter. Thet pesky fly is back. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Greg F. Date: 04 Apr 13 - 09:07 AM ... many CSA ordinaries were motivated not by slavery but by the right of the State to determine its own path... And the path that the states in question had chosen was that of supporting and perpetuating slavery, of subjugation of Black folks free or slave and of bearing arms against the government of the United States. Surely that is obvious as well. What should be equally obvious is the many times the rank and file have not the slightest idea - or an erronious idea - regarding WHY they are actually at war - I give you Viet Nam and Iraq as two examples of many. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Lighter Date: 04 Apr 13 - 08:51 AM Those lines are about trad fans, aren't they? |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: mg Date: 04 Apr 13 - 01:02 AM There aren't many left of us who rode out at the start And them that are, are weary, weak in body, sad of heart whoever wrote those words knew what he or she was talking about... |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Amos Date: 04 Apr 13 - 12:14 AM Greg: It's a very different thing to say a war was "fought over" an issue. Economics being what they are, the War of Secession was fueld by the slavery issue, I agree. What I said, however, was that many CSA ordinaries were motivated not by slavery but by the right of the STate to determine its own path. Surely the difference is obvious? A |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 03 Apr 13 - 08:42 PM Don't know how many Confederate peckerwoods there were, but the Union troops were more numerous, hence there must have been more rural soldiers on the Union side. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Greg F. Date: 03 Apr 13 - 08:08 PM No, Amos, despite the current neo-confederate resurgence in popularity of the old 19th century lie, the Civil War was not fought over "states' rights" nor the right of self determination. [ Nor was the KKK was not a social club, on the off chance you believe that, as well.] And "defense of self-determination in the face of overwhelming force" cannot be divorced from the context in which that defense was, or is, mounted, and what it was mounted to defend. If you consider that makes me a thorn in the bewtocks, I'm comfortable By the way, you haven't commented upon the song "I'm A Good Old Wehrmacht Soldier". Have a nice evening. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Amos Date: 03 Apr 13 - 06:04 PM Greg: Are you being a thorn in the bewtocks intentionally? Or is it just a bad day? The defense of self-determination in the face of overwhelming force is certainly one of the finer aspects of the human spirit when facing overwhelming odds. Furthermore it may have escaped your attention that for many of the rank and file of the CSA, the casus belli was the right of States to define their own path. While I have no axe to grind for States' rights when it comes to slavery, or secession either, I do respect the spark of self-determination behind those issues. That is really all I meant, and I don't think it is worth all the argument as it is purely a personal opinion. A |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Greg F. Date: 03 Apr 13 - 05:06 PM Hi, Lighter- In the main, I agree with you, though I don't quite see Randolph's original words being quite as benign as you seem to. The comments about the U.S. Constitution & Declaration of Independence, among others, could also be taken at face value - & it doesn't seem that Major James Innes Randolph, Topographical Engineers, CSA, meant the song entirely as a burlesque of an ignorant Confederate peckerwood. be that as it may, nowhere did Amos, or Q in defense of Amos, make even remotely clear they were referring to the original poem/song. As for how the song is performed, viewed & received, do take a look at a few of the dozens of versions on YouTube & be sure to read the comments. Quite enlightening. Best, Greg |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Lighter Date: 03 Apr 13 - 01:11 PM Randolph's song, to which Amos and Q refer, isn't much like that, and it's usually performed in a spirit of sheer cussedness and perversity. Its wide appeal undoubtedly comes from the repeated "I do not care a damn!" rather than from any reactionary politics. The song takes exaggerated shots at symbols of U.S. Government authority, including the uniformed Freedman's Bureau and even the "Yankee Eagle," which doesn't seem worth a sane person's "hatred" for its purely imaginary "squall an' fuss." As statements of (white) democracy, both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were held in high regard by Confederate intellectuals. (Except for incorporating slavery, secession, and Jesus, the CSA Constitution was much like our own.) The song contains not a word of overt racism (which Randolph could easily have included, had he a mind to.) The hyperbolic, deadpan wish that "it was three million instead o' what we got!" reveals - to the educated Victorian readers of Randolph's serious poetry - just how crude and uncivilized this character really is. On the other hand, the derivative song printed by the Warners is a different kettle of fish. It has no subtleties. It does bear some resemblance to the imagined SS song. Its offensive intentions are blatant and inarguable. More significantly, however, it appears to have been reported only once. Nor, as far as I know, has it ever been recorded or performed on a public stage. (If it has, its place in American pop culture nevertheless remains at zero.) So, yeah, Randolph's song can be misused by those who want to. To me, that doesn't make the song itself offensive. The other one, however, is beyond the pale. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Greg F. Date: 03 Apr 13 - 12:41 PM OK, Q, lets try a slightly different tack. Lets assume there is a song featuring an unrepentant member of the Wehrmacht or Schutzstaffel in which he expresses vicious hatred of the Allies, the Geneva Conventions & the Nuremberg Trials, wishes he had killed more Russians and Poles, makes light of feeding Jews into the ovens and states proudly that he joined a neo-Nazi group after the war. Would this song also represent "the best of human nature"? |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 03 Apr 13 - 11:42 AM I am reminded of a kids song I heard in Texas. Boys poking cowpies with sticks. Can't quite remember it, but something like: Stirring cowpies in the pasture, Worms are wrigglin, and bye and bye, Cowpies holey, flies are risin See they fly up, to the sky. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Greg F. Date: 02 Apr 13 - 08:45 PM So I guess his posts aren't so clear to you after all then? Or is it possible that the sentiments expressed in the don't quite represent "the best of human nature" after all? |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 02 Apr 13 - 07:45 PM No |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Greg F. Date: 02 Apr 13 - 05:16 PM Well then, Q, perhaps in the absence of Amos you'd be kind enough to explain to me which sentiments expressed in the song under discussion represent "the best of human nature". |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 02 Apr 13 - 12:02 PM Don't bother, Amos. Your previous posts are clear to me, anyhow. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Greg F. Date: 02 Apr 13 - 08:23 AM The actuality of grungy, bloody, murderous warfare, Greg. For the rest, my post is self-explanatory. The song ain't about warfare, Amos. And your post is by no means "self explanatory. So here's a chance for you to explain how, for you, the sentiments expressed in the song represent the "best of human nature". You have the floor. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Lighter Date: 02 Apr 13 - 08:07 AM Very weird! But if you paste the second address into the search field and search, it will take you to the right place. Another tune halfway between JB and SOG: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioRx7MeKi4g |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: michaelr Date: 01 Apr 13 - 08:02 PM Both those links go to the same video, Lighter. The Quicksilver tune sounds more based on "Gambolier" than "Joe Bowers". |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Lighter Date: 01 Apr 13 - 07:42 PM This guy uses the "Son of a Gambolier" tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERyLNa-WBQU Here's Ry Cooder singing it to "Joe Bowers": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEvBCnHPM4Y I knew a CW re-enactor back in grad school (1975) who sang the song to "The Yellow Rose of Texas" as well as to "Son of a Gambolier." "Joe Bowers" is rather similar to the the usual tune of "The Lily of the West." |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Amos Date: 01 Apr 13 - 06:32 PM The actuality of grungy, bloody, murderous warfare, Greg. For the rest, my post is self-explanatory. A |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: michaelr Date: 01 Apr 13 - 06:26 PM That happens to be the first (and to date, only) recording of the song I've heard. I had no idea it was an old song. I think it suits the lyrics quite well in that it conveys an unhinged sort of wildness, which I think is what Amos was talking about, too. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 31 Mar 13 - 04:40 PM Whatever, that version requires earplugs |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: GUEST,Lighter Date: 31 Mar 13 - 04:26 PM Recorded Live in Hell. Be that as it may. The tune sounds to me like it was "inspired" by "Joe Bowers." |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: michaelr Date: 31 Mar 13 - 02:21 PM Which tune does this version use? |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Greg F. Date: 31 Mar 13 - 02:03 PM he song is far more pleasant than the actuality it derived from, Richard. Which actuality is that, Amos? The actuality of slavery? The actuality of taking up arms against the United States government, i.e. treason? The actuality of the Ku Klux Klan & its murderous activities? The actuality if thousands of lynchings of Black folks? The actuality of the de-facto nullification if the 13th, 14th, and 15th Ammendments for over a hundred years? And which of the above actualities is one of your" favorite parts of the best of human nature", pray tell? Or the actuality that a portion of the Southern population of the U.S. to this day sing this song and mean it literally? |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 31 Mar 13 - 01:23 PM The words in the sheet music are identical t those in the little bok of poems. Only the title differs. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Lighter Date: 31 Mar 13 - 09:00 AM The presumed original words, credited to "I.R.," is visible here, set to the tune of "Joe Bowers": http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/levy-cgi/display.cgi?id=093.168.002;pages=3;range=0-2 Randolph's song was reprinted in the Cedar Valley (Iowa) Times (Apr. 4, 1867), with a note that it was allegedly "the present popular song in the South." |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 30 Mar 13 - 09:50 PM Verse 3: Declaration, not declaration. Verse 5: dust, not Dust |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE GOOD OLD REBEL (Innes Randolph) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 30 Mar 13 - 09:46 PM The original, 1898, Innes Randolph book. The Good Old Rebel Oh, I'm a good old Rebel, Now that's just what I am; For this "fair Land of Freedom" I do not care a dam. I'm glad I fit against it- I only wish we'd won, And I don't want no pardon For anything I've done. 2 I hates the Constitution, This great Republic too; I hates the Freedmen's Buro, In uniforms of blue. I hates the nasty eagle, With all his brag and fuss; The lyin', thievin' Yankees, I hates them wuss and wuss. 3 I hate the Yankee Nation And everything they do; I hate the declaration Of Independence, too. I hates the glorious Union, 'Tis dripping with our blood; I hates the striped banner- I fit it all I could. 4 I followed old Mars' Robert For four year, near about, Got wounded in three places, And starved at Pine Lookout. I cotch the roomatism A-campin' in the snow, But I killed a chance of Yankees- I'd like to kill some mo'. 5 Three hundred thousand Yankees Is stiff in Southern Dust; We got three hundred thousand Before they conquered us. They died of Southern fever And Southern steel and shot; I wish it was three millions Instead of what we got. 6 I can't take up my musket And fight 'em now no more, But I ain't agoin' to love 'em, Now that is sartin sure. And I don't want no pardon For what I was and am; I won't be reconstructed And I don't care a dam. "Poems" by Innes Randolph, 1898, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore. "Compiled by his son from the original manuscript." |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: Amos Date: 30 Mar 13 - 08:52 PM ANother couplet that seems to have wandered off, not sung by Waner, is: "At a little creek called Bull Run We used their starry rag To wipe our horses down with, And I ain't here to brag." A |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Unreconstructed rebel/Good Old Rebel From: GUEST,Civil War Nut Date: 30 Mar 13 - 08:08 PM The "official" lyrics to this song should be those in the 1898 book of Innes Randolph poems compiled by his son Harold Innes. This book can be viewed on the web. There have been many other verses written, I have written several myself, it is a simple task. I have heard it sung to many different tunes: Joe Bowers is a catchy tune but too happy sounding, as is Yellow Rose of Texas; I prefer the dripping hatred when sung to "Son of a Gambolier" which is attributed to Charles Ives (1895) who is famous for stealing lines from earlier songs. Does anyone know an earlier version of that melody? |
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Subject: Lyr Add: WE KNOW THAT WE WERE REBELS (C Prentice) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 14 Nov 11 - 06:01 PM Lyr. Add: WE KNOW THAT WE WERE REBELS Or. Why Can We Not Be Brothers? Clarence Prentice Why can we not be brothers? the battle now is o'er; We've laid our bruis'd arms on the field, to take them up no more; We whu have fought you hard and long, now overpower'd, stand As poor defenceless prisioners in our own native land. Chorus- We know that we were rebels, And we don't deny the name, We speak of that which we have done With grief, but not with shame ! But we have rights most sacred, by solemn compact bound, Seal'd by the blood that freely gush'd from many a ghastly wound; When LEE gave up his trusty sword, and his men laid down their arms, It was that they should live at home, secure from war's dire harms. And surely, since we're now disarm'd, we are not to be dreaded, Our old chiefs who on many fields our trusty columns headed, Are fast within an iron grasp, and manicled with chains, Perchance, 'twixt dreary walls to stay as long as life remains ! O shame upon the coward band, who in the conflict dire, Went not to battle for their cause, 'mid the ranks of steel and fire, Yet now, since all the fighting's done, are hourly heard to cry: "Down with the traitors ! hang them all ! Rebel dog shall die ! We know that we were Rebels, we don't deny the name, We speak of that which we have done with grief, but not with shame ! And we never will acknowledge that the blood the South has spilt, Was shed defending what we deem'd a cause of wrong and guilt. Allan's Lone Star Ballads. A Collection of Southern Patriotic Songs Made During Confederate Times. Compiled and revised by Francis D. Allen. Burt Franklin, New York, 1874. Reprinted 1970. |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 13 Nov 11 - 10:03 PM Dunno what South Carolina license plate is referred to. A Free Masons' plate is available for an extra $30. A "Gone Fishin' plate is available for an addition of $75, and a Veteran" plate has no extra charge (It does not confine itself to those who wore grey). |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Greg F. Date: 13 Nov 11 - 08:16 PM I'm hoping they revise the South Carolina automibile license plates to "Birthplace of Secession" or "Birthplace of Treason". Lets be sure we're explicit about what these peckerwoods are proud of. That and white supremacy, of course. |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Lighter Date: 13 Nov 11 - 08:15 PM The original version was written by Innes Randolph (1837-1887), a Virginia lawyer and a topographical officer on Gen. J. E. B. Stuart's staff. He'd graduated from law school in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The self-conscious rural dialect (in contrast with Randolph's other verse) and crudely overt sentiments indicate that he intended the song as an affectionate satire of some of his less sophisticated wartime acquaintances rather than as some heart-felt cry of his own. Of course, many people just don't "get" irony. |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: GUEST,tg in VA Date: 13 Nov 11 - 07:51 PM This is the way it was passed down to me: Oh, I'm a Jolly Rebel Yes, by God, I am And for this land of freedom, suh I do not give a damn I'm glad we fought agin 'em But I wish to hell we'd won I don't ask your pardon for anything I've done I fought with ol' Marse Robert Four years or there about I wandered in the Wilderness And fought at Point Lookout I caught the rheumatism A campin in the snow But I killed a lot of Yankees And I wish I'd killed some mo Three hunderd thousand yankees Lie buried in our dust It took four years of fightin' For them to conquer us They died of Southern Fever and Southern shot and shell But I wish there'd been ten thousand more God Damn their souls to hell! I hates the Spangled Banner The Constitution too I hates the Freedmens Bureau With Niggers dressed in Blue I hates the Bald headed eagle With all his fire and fuss But those low down thievin' yankees Great God I hate em worse I hates the Yankee Nation And everythin they do I hates the Declaration of Independence too I hates the glorious union They's drippin with our blood And I hates the stupid banner I fought it all I could |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: J-boy Date: 17 Feb 11 - 10:56 PM Which "country"? The CSA? |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: GUEST,steve Date: 17 Feb 11 - 09:50 PM i myself and all my kin has served this country in each and everything it has fought all the way back to the start here,and back into europe....300,000 yankees lie dead in southern dust.......i wish it was 3 million................... |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: robomatic Date: 06 Dec 05 - 05:22 PM In 1982 I was motorcycling through Civil War sites and battlefields and came upon a group of re-enactors commemmorating what I recall as Richmond's 350th anniversary as Capitol of Virginia. I was allowed to 'jine' up as a Texas volunteer (despite the fact that I am from Massachusetts) and around the campfire we sang songs. The reason I bring this up is that one version of The Unrepentent Rebel began with the lines: "I'm glad I fought agin 'em, I only wish we'd won And as for you damn Yankees sir, I hope I shot your son!" |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 06 Dec 05 - 04:48 PM Southern raised- Source? Quite similar to the one printed in Colliers Weekly, 1914, words by Innes Randolph, as reproduced in the Contemplator (DT credited). Tunes cited are Lily of the West and Lakes of Ponchartrain. Midis at Unreconstructed Rebel Besides Villikins and his Dinah, any others used? |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Big Al Whittle Date: 06 Dec 05 - 04:03 AM Art, please excuse my ignorance of your body of work. But is there a book you have set these recollections down in? That was just amazing to read. I would love to read more. all the best al |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 06 Dec 05 - 12:41 AM Francis D. Allen, 1874, "Allan's Lone Star Ballads, a Collection of Southern Patriotic Songs," contains a number of songs written after defeat. "The Unreconstructed Rebel" is not one of them. The 'Reconstruction' followed defeat, and reached its height a few years after defeat. For this reason, I doubt that the song was written before the 1870s. Authorship by Major Innes Randolph probably is the the best we can do. I agree with Lighter that the worst versions seem to be from c. 1900, for the reasons he gives. |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: GUEST,southern raised Date: 05 Dec 05 - 11:08 PM Oh I am a good ol' rebel now thats just what I am And for this Yankee nation I don't give a damn I'm glad I fought again' her I only wish we'd won I aint ask any pardon for anything I've done I hates the yankee nation and everything they do I hates the Declaration of Independance too I hates the glorious Union 'tis drippin' with our blood I hates this striped banner I fit it all I could I rode with Robert E. Lee for three years there about Got wounded in four places and starved a Point Lookout I cotched the roomatism a campin' in the snow But I killed a chance o' Yankees, I'd like to kill some more Three hundred thousand Yankees is stiff in Southern dust We got three hundred thousand Before they conquered us. They died of Southern fever And Southern steel and shot; And I wish it was three million Instead of what we got. I can't take up my musket and fight 'em now no more But I aint gonna love 'em now that a certain sure And I don't want no pardon for what I was and am I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn Oh I am a good ol' rebel now thats just what I am And for this Yankee nation I do not give a damn I'm glad I fought again' her I only wish we'd won I aint ask any pardon for anything I've done I aint ask any pardon for anything I've done |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: GUEST,Art Thieme Date: 26 Jun 05 - 11:50 PM Frank Proffitt sang this song for about 3 or 4 of us off in an out of the way alcove on the second floor of Ida Noyes Hall at the University Of Chicago Folk Festival---the first one---February 4th or 5th, 1961. We knew we were hearing a rarity, and a real human, emotional document from a terrible time. Frank wasn't certain if he should sing it "up North"---so we went into the small out of the way room. That county in North Carolina (was it Boon County?) sided with the North during the Civil War----and talking about that fact led us into talking about this song -- and his ultimately singing it for us. That was the only time I ever heard it sung out loud in any setting. Also, in that same alcove, the next year of the festival, 1962 if I'm remembering right, Roscoe Holcomb retuned my guitar to an open chord and did his intensely high-lonesome version of "On Top Of Old Smoky" fretting the guitar with a knife he took out of his pocket. I can see it and hear it vividly while I'm writing this! Amazing times. Art Thieme |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Amos Date: 26 Jun 05 - 10:54 AM The song is far more pleasant than the actuality it derived from, Richard. In fact, it is quite spirited and reflects a certain spiritual tenaciousness which is one of my favorite parts of the best of human nature. 'Course in some contexts that just looks like pigheaded obstinacy, but ya never know.... A |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Le Scaramouche Date: 26 Jun 05 - 05:47 AM Historicaly important and made quite a stir when it appeared because of the swear words IE damn. |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Richard Bridge Date: 26 Jun 05 - 04:58 AM What an unpleasant song! But historically important, I suppose. |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Joe Offer Date: 26 Jun 05 - 02:29 AM The Traditional Ballad Index Calls this "The Good Old Rebel": Good Old Rebel, The (The Song of the Rebel Soldier)DESCRIPTION: "I'm a good old Rebel soldier, and that's just what I am, And for this Yankee nation I do not give a damn!" The rebel tells of his history in the Confederate army. He scorns the Reconstruction governments, and proclaims, "I won't be reconstructed!"AUTHOR: unknown EARLIEST DATE: 1866? KEYWORDS: Civilwar soldier political HISTORICAL REFERENCES: July 21, 1861 - First Battle of Bull Run/Manassas. Confederates under Beauregard and Johnston rout an inexperienced Federal force under McDowell. Aug 29-30, 1862 - Second Battle of Bull Run/Manassas. Lee's army takes Pope's force in flank and rolls it up. Apr 7 and Sept 8, 1863 - Federal attempts to retake Fort Sumter and Charleston Harbor. Both failed. May 1-4, 1863 - Battle of Chancellorsville (which would appear to be the "Battle of the Wilderness" referred to in some texts, since Stonewall Jackson is mentioned in the immediate context). Lee defeats Hooker, but Jackson is killed May 5-7, 1864 - Battle of the Wilderness. Lee's army mauls the Federal force under Grant and Meade, but the Federals refuse to retreat May 11, 1864 - Battle of Yellow Tavern. Confederate cavalry commander J.E.B. Stuart mortally wounded (he died May 12). 1865-1872 - The era of the Freedmen's Bureau. Its purpose was to help former slaves to make the transition to freedom, and to give them as many opportunities as possible. Most Southerners fought it tooth and nail, and finally the Radical Republicans abandoned it in 1872 FOUND IN: US(SE,So) REFERENCES (13 citations): Randolph 231, "I'm a Good Old Rebel" (3 texts, 3 tunes) Randolph/Cohen, pp. 216-217, "I'm a Good Old Rebel" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 231C) Warner 193, "The Song of the Rebel Soldier"; 194, "An Old Unreconstructed" (2 traditional texts plus assorted floating stanzas and a copy of a printed text plus mention of 6(?) more, 1 tune) BrownIII 391, "The Good Old Rebel" (2 texts plus a fragment and mention of 1 more) Hudson 118, pp. 259-260, "I'm a Good Old Rebel" (1 text) JHCox 77, "I'm a Good Old Rebel" (1 text) Silber-CivWar, pp. 88-89, "Oh, I'm a Good Old Rebel" (1 text, 1 tune) Lomax-ABFS, pp. 535-540, "Good Old Rebel" (2 texts, 2 tunes) Lomax-FSNA 133, "The Good Old Rebel" (1 text, 1 tune) Botkin-SoFolklr, p. 716, "I'm a Good Old Rebel" (1 text, 1 tune) Darling-NAS, pp. 351-353, "I'm a Good Old Rebel" (1 text) Silber-FSWB, p. 290, "The Good Old Rebel" (1 text) DT, UNRECON MOONSHI5* Roud #823 Notes: Cox lists several early printers and claimed authors. The most common attribution is to Major Innes Randolph (CSV), but is from a book published by Randolph's son in 1892. An 1890 text is attributed to J.R.T.; another, printed 1903, dedicates it to "Thad. Stevens, 1862" and claims it was sung by "Harry Allen, Washington Artillery, New Orleans, LA." A dedication to Stevens makes a perverse sort of sense; Stevens was a humorless anti-Southern abolitionist. The 1862 date makes little sense, however. Still, something caused the song to go into oral tradition. I think we must simply regard the matter as uncertain. "Marse Robert" is, of course, the soldiers' nickname for Robert E. Lee. Point Lookout was a Federal prison camp in Maryland. It was an unpleasant place (the prisoners were housed in tents, and water was sometimes scarce), but the army that produced the Andersonville prison camp had no grounds for complaint! The "darkies dressed in blue" were Blacks who joined the Federal army; their performance was not spectacular, but this was mostly the fault of bad officers. Needless to say, the Confederates hated them above all -- but at the end of the war they too were putting Blacks in uniform! The Warner text "An Old Unreconstructed" appears to belong with this piece; the lyrics are different, but the spirit and the meter are the same. In that song, the rebels claim that their cavalry was always superior to the Federals'. This was certainly true in the early years of the war, but by the time of Brandy Station (June 9, 1863), the two forces were equally competent (the Confederates had better officers, but the Federals had better weapons), and by 1864, with Southern horses running out and Sheridan in charge of the Federal cavalry, the Union horse was probably superior. The "cowardly blockade" refers to the Federal blockade that largely cut off the Confederates from the outside world. It was not "cowardly"; blockade was already recognized under international law. Nor did it automatically cut off the Confederates from munitions; the blockade did not really begin to bite until 1863, by which time the Confederates were fairly well equipped with weapons (often captured from the Unionists). More important was the complete Confederate failure to industrialize. The "German immigrants" referred to are probably the Federal XI corps, composed primarily of German refugees, which suffered the worst casualties at Chancellorsville and was routed at Gettysburg. These troops were held in very low esteem by both sides. Except for some Irish formations (none larger than a brigade), I know of no other Federal forces composed entirely of "furriners." - RBW File: Wa193 Go to the Ballad Search form The Ballad Index Copyright 2005 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle. |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Charley Noble Date: 25 Jun 05 - 11:04 AM To specifically address the question of what lines are missing from Frank Warner's version, according to my memory his verse starts: Three hundred thousand Yankees a stiff in Southern dust; We got three hundred thousand a-fore they conquored us; They died of Southern fever and Southern steel and shot, And I wish we'd got three million instead of what we got! There are a lot of variations of this song. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Le Scaramouche Date: 25 Jun 05 - 10:14 AM Are there any recordings of the more unsavoury verses? |
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Subject: looking for song From: GUEST Date: 25 Jun 05 - 10:02 AM I heard a song containing the line "she strolls through the garden trailing butterflies" but can not remember the title. I have searched everywhere and do not even know if the song is new or old! Does anyone know this song? If so, please send the lyrics and title to Thank you!!! |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Amos Date: 25 Jun 05 - 09:48 AM Frank Warner begins this song with "Ah'm a good ole Rebel sojer..." if I recall aright. A |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: GUEST,Lighter at work Date: 25 Jun 05 - 09:05 AM Seems to me all these Klan and lynching stanzas, along with the Frogs and Squareheads, etc., are pretty idiosyncratic and come from the 20th Century. Lynching reached its peak around 1900, and the presence of "Frogs" and "Squareheads" in the same line - plus the "Eyetalians" and "Micks" - makes me suspect this stanza, and maybe the whole series of them, was written in the 1920s or '30s when the KKK was at the height of its influence with a rabid anti-immigration platform. (Immigration was a major political issue in the '20s.) "Frogs" and "Squareheads" were words widely used overseas during World War I. I believe that the version in question was printed for the first time (and the only time as collected from supposed tradition) in Frank and Ann Warner's collection. The more familiar version is sung variously to the tunes of "Joe Bowers" (the most traditional tune), "Son of a Gamboleer," "The Yellow Rose of Texas," and, if I'm not mistaken, "The Bonnie Blue Flag." |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: chico Date: 25 Jun 05 - 05:01 AM Chords
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Subject: RE: Tune Add: UNRECONSTRUCTED REBEL From: Joe Offer Date: 24 Jul 00 - 02:15 PM I can't get this one to play. ABCMUS says there's an incomplete tempo specification. Can one of you ABC specialists tell us what's wrong? Also, I'm thinking it's not a good idea to start a separate thread just to add a tune for a song. If there's an existing thread for the song, that's a good place to put it. A thread for adding one tune is not likely to generate a lot of discussion, so the thread is likely to drop off the Forum Menu after just a day. If Susan and I miss it that day, it might get lost. If you plan to post a number of tunes, it might be an idea to start a single thread and post a number of tunes to it. Just change the subject title for each message. I have mixed feelings about how to post lyrics. I think Stewie's train songs and Conrad's collection of songs would have worked better in one thread, rather than a bunch of separate threads - if the songs are interrelated, it's probably best to post them in a single thread. On the other hand, Alan's Penguin songs were in separate threads, and that made it easier for Malcolm and others to add their wonderful comments - but note that Alan provided links to tie all the Penguin songs together, and he had that word Penguin in the thread title to help. I don't have a really good, solid answer about this- but I do have the impression that isolated song and tune postings tend to get lost. Better to put many songs or tunes in a thread full of interrelated songs. Handling song requests is a different matter. A request should go in a separate thread, unless there is already an existing thread for that particular song - and the lyrics posted in response should go in the request thread (preferably with ADD included in the SUBJECT title). -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: Tune Add: UNRECONSTRUCTED REBEL ^^ From: Sorcha Date: 24 Jul 00 - 12:43 PM T:UNRECONSTRUCTED REBEL M:4/4 L:1/8 Q: 1/4=130 K:D minor F2| "Dm7" G2 A2 c2 d2 | "Am" A4 G2 A2 | "Dm" G2 F2 "A7" D2 ^C2| "Bb" D4 z2 c2 | "F" c2 A2 c2 d2 | "C" f4 e2 e2 |"Dm" A2 d2 "A7" d2 ^c2 | "Bb " d4 z2 c2 | "F" c2 A2 c2 d2 | f4 "C#dim" e2 e2 | "Dm" A2 d2 "A7" d2 ^c2 | "Dm" d6 D2 | "Dm7" G2 A2 c2 d2| "Am" A4 G2 A2 | "Dm" G2 F2 "A7" D2 ^C2| "Dm" D8-|D6|| This tune is similar to Joe Bowers but not exactly the same. Lyrics already in DT. ^^ |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Brad Date: 23 Jun 98 - 11:46 PM The first verse: Oh, I am a good ol' rebel, yes that's just what I am; For this dear land of "freedom" I do not care a damn; I'm glad I fought against it; I only wish we'd won; And I won't be reconstructed for all the things I've done. |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: rich r Date: 21 Jun 98 - 04:20 PM Here's a few more verses and verse variants for "The Unreconstructed Rebel" (I'm A Good Old Rebel, The Song of the Rebel Soldier, The Old Unreconstructed)
I hates the Yankee nation and everything they do
I followed old Mas' Robert for four year, near about
Oh we routed Hooker's Army for the bold Confederacy
Now I hate your starry banner for it's gory with my blood
Now I hate your Freedman's Bureau and I hate your boys in blue
We sunk the ship at Sumpter, we broke her plumb in two
We whupped the best they sent us, and we whupped 'em fair an true
There aren't many left of us who rode out at the start Shout: To hell with you and your federalized abolitionist army! There is also an alternative second line to the verse cited above by John N - that makes it even more vile if that is possible. And when it come to lynchin' I was the right-hand man. I have seen some reports that the song may have started out more as a mocking satire rather than the bitter protestation of defeat that it has become. The most commonly used tune appears to be derived from "Villikins & His Dinah" rich r
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: Benjamin Bodhra/nai/ Date: 20 Jun 98 - 08:53 PM Thank you sir!! |
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Subject: RE: Unreconstructed rebel From: John Nolan Date: 20 Jun 98 - 01:58 AM Three hundred thousand Yankees Lie dead in Southern dust...
The most withering verse I know (suitable only for singing to historical societies really, as a measure of the bitterness of that time) goes,
And when the war was over That came from an old book in an Atlantan library. |
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Subject: Unreconstructed rebel From: Date: 20 Jun 98 - 12:44 AM Dia dhaoibh In the song Unreconstructed rebel on the DT db there seems to be two lines missing from one of the verses, like this one: We got three hundred thousand Befo' they conquered us. They died of Southern fever And Southern steel and shot; And I wish it was three million Instead of what we got. Anyone know the other two lines? Bui/ochas Benjamin Bodhra/nai/ |
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