Origins: Lulu Walls

Subject: ADD Version: Lula Wall
From: GUEST,Bob Coltman
Date: 22 Jul 14 - 08:24 PM

Here's the Wehman version, presumably reprint of a song sheet original previous to January 1888. It is therefore the oldest known, at least until an earlier claimant hits the scene.
No info on the lyricist/composer. Bob

This is from http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/songster/17-lula-wall.htm
The above site has, if not all, at least most of the Wehman Songster texts (no music).

LULA WALL.

There's a maiden sweet and fair, with lovely golden hair,
She is perfect as an angel from above;
She stole my heart from me, now I'm in misery,
And I fear with some one else she is in love.
And every little while she would greet me with a smile,
And ask me to her pretty home to call;
But when my suite I pressed, she said not no or yes,
This aggravating beauty, Lula Wall.

Chorus.
Oh, such style was never seen, she is perfect as a queen,
At first sight my heart she did enthrall.
If she'd only be my wife, I'd be happy all my life,
With this aggravating beauty, Lula Wall.

One evening, just at dark, we first met in the park,
She was sitting near the fountain all alone;
I passed and tipped my hat, then we began to chat,
And she allowed me then to see her home.
Fast friends we soon became, for she always acts the same-
I asked her if she'd wed me in the Fall,
But she'd only turn away, and nothing she would say,
Oh, this aggravating beauty, Lula Wall.-Chorus.

I am on my way to-night to meet this fairy bright,
And I intend to ask her for her hand:
I must not hesitate, no longer can I wait,
An answer then and there I will demand.
If she will but be mine, I will have a house so fine,
Around it I will build a fence so tall;
It may be jealousy, but no one else but me
Must gaze upon this beauty, Lula Wall.-Chorus.

---

I reviewed the Wehman lyrics at the link below and found this transcription to be accurate. -Joe Offer, Mudcat Music Editor-

https://archive.org/stream/5552509#page/n529/mode/2up

Subject: RE: Origins: Lulu Walls
From: Richie
Date: 22 Jul 14 - 01:23 PM

There are two versions in Crabtree's Overton County Songs and Ballads 1936 and one also sung by Bascam Lamar Lunsford.

Someone should put Wehman's PD text on for comparison.

I put them on when I get more time.

R-

Subject: RE: Origins: Lulu Walls
From: GUEST,Joe
Date: 22 Jul 14 - 12:28 PM

Jim Dixon, I like that version with that extra verse.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lulu Walls
From: Artful Codger
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 05:31 PM

The lyrics and (if given) tune in the Wehman songbook are now PD, but if you've gotten the song from a modern source, you may still be stepping on someone's copyright for music, music arrangement or lyrics arrangement. I hunt up pre-1923 sources whenever possible.

Subject: Lyr Add: LULU WALLS (Carter Family)
From: autoharpbob
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 06:28 AM

AP tended to claim copyright on just about everything the Carter Family recorded, whether he wrote it or not. This is the version the Carter's recorded in 1929:

LULU WALLS
Carter Family - Words and music by AP Carter, 2nd Camden Sessions, Feb 1929

1. One ev'ning getting dark, WE FIRST MET AT the park.
A SITTIN AT the fountain all alone.
I lifted up my hat and then began to chat.
SHE SAID SHE'D ALLOW TO SEE HER AT her home.

CHORUS: Such a star I'D never seen. She's as pretty as a queen.
She's as perfect as an angel from above.
If she'd only be my wife, I'd live happy all MY life,
With that aggRAvating beauty, LulU WallS.

2. If she WASonly mine, I WOULD build a house so fine,
AND around it, so many fences tall.
It would make me jealous-free that no one else but me
Could gaze upon that beauty, LulU WallS.

2. One ev'ning getting late, I met her at the gate.
I asked her if she'd wed me in the fall;
SHE ONLY TURNED AWAY AND NOTHING SHE WOULD SAY,
That aggRAvating beauty, LulU WallS.

Subject: Lyr Add: LULU WALL (from A'nt Idy Harper)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 11:43 PM

You can hear this recording at the Honking Duck web site. This is my transcription. I have represented some words phonetically: for example, she consistently pronounces "Luly" although the record label says "Lulu."


LULU WALL
As sung by A'nt Idy Harper & Coon Creek Girls, Vocalion 04203, 1938.

1. One ev'ning getting dark, I met her in the park.
She was settin' by the fountain all alone.
I lifted up my hat and then began to chat.
I asked if I could see her to her home.

CHORUS: Such a star I've never seen. She's as pretty as a queen.
She's as perfect as an angel from above.
If she'd only be my wife, we'd live happy all our life,
With that agger'vating beauty, Luly Wall.

2. One ev'ning getting late, I met her at the gate.
I asked her if she'd wed me in the fall;
And nothing did she say, but only turned away,
That agger'vating beauty, Luly Wall.

3. If she were only mine, I'd build a house so fine,
Around it, so many fences tall.
It would make me jealous-free that no one else but me
Could gaze upon that beauty, Luly Wall.

4. As the years have passed away, and now she's old and gray,
Upon her I often make a call,
And as she sets right there in the fam'ly rocking chair,
I gaze upon that beauty, Luly Wall.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lulu Walls
From: Beer
Date: 20 Sep 06 - 03:57 PM

John Prine also did it.
Beer

Subject: RE: Origins: Lulu Walls
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Sep 06 - 03:48 PM

The version in Randolph, Ozark Folksongs vol. 3, #383, "Lula Walls," was sung by Mrs Dan Pierce, Missouri, 1928.
Randolph also mentions that a garbled version appeared in the (MO)Aurora Advertiser, 1941, with the title "A Maiden Young and Fair."

Subject: RE: Origins: Lulu Walls
From: Goose Gander
Date: 20 Sep 06 - 11:42 AM

Can't find the Wehman lyrics, but here's a version from the Wolf Folklore Collection
. . . .

Lulu Walls

Subject: RE: Origin: Lulu Walls
From: Richie
Date: 10 Feb 03 - 10:40 PM

Thanks Masato,

I guess that make the song PD. It seemed like an 1800's parlor song. Does anyone have the original lyrics?

-Richie

Subject: RE: Origin: Lulu Walls
From: masato sakurai
Date: 10 Feb 03 - 10:30 PM

According to Meade et al.'s Country Music Sources (p. 231), it appeared in Wehman's Collection of Songs, #17 (Jan. 1888). Before Lunsford and the Carters, there were two recordings:

Lulu Walsh - Walter Morris (11/06/1926. Atlanta, Ga.)

Lulu Wall - Bill Chitwood (10/03/1927. Atlanta, Ga. OK uniss)

~Masato

Subject: Origin: Lulu Walls
From: Richie
Date: 10 Feb 03 - 10:12 PM

Did Bascom Lamar Lunsford first write "Lulu Walls"?

I know AP Carter did a version but since he frequently searched for songs from the area- I'm not sure that he wrote it, although he is credited with a copyright on it.

Any early versions or info on the origin would be helpful.

Thanks,

Richie