Lyr Req: My 30-06 on the Wall

Subject: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Peter Stanley (Bojangles)
Date: 28 Aug 98 - 04:04 AM

I am trying to find a song that I heard sung in Alaska about a disenchanted hermit. Some of the verses go:

Way back in the twenties when I was a kid I went with a halfbreed I'd met, But one night in Talkeetna she cleaned me out And took off with all she could get. So partners and women and dogs are taboo I know 'cause i've fussed with them all And the only true friend that I have in this world Is my 30.06 on the wall. She's stood by my shoulder and stopped the brown bear And she keeps the cache full in the fall. She's got the one bark that a claim-jumper knows And she asks no attention at all.

Subject: Lyr Add: MY 30-06 ON THE WALL (Pat O'Cotter)
From: Art Thieme
Date: 28 Aug 98 - 11:52 PM

MY 30-06 ON THE WALL
by Pat O'Cotter
from the singing of Paul Roseland of Alaska
Paul says of Cotter, "He lived the stuff he wrote. Became a Marshal later on. Was killed in Fairbanks in 1932."

Oh, I been a guide and was a-kickin' around,
And was usually seen with the belles,
I mixed up with partners at various times,
Had lots of affairs with the gals.

Way back in the 90s when I was a kid,
I went with a halfbreed you know,
One winter in Circle she cleaned me all out,
And she left me cold in the snow,

Now I've had lots of dogs but the dogs always died,
Or else the poor devils get killed,
When ya like 'em, ya lose 'em,I lost me some _____(?)
It seems____ __ ___can be filled(?).

Now partners and females amd dogs are taboo,
I know 'cause I've fussed with them all,
But there's only one pal I've found I can trust,
It's my 30-06 on the wall.

She stood by my shoulder, she stalked the brown bear,
She keeps the cache full in the fall,
She's got one fault that the claim jumper knows,
And she craves no attention at all.

I'm a-gettin' old now and set in my way,
But I don't loosen up like I did,
I'm slow to make friends and I'm slower to trust,
Than I used to when I was a kid.

So partners a females and dogs are taboo,
I know 'cause I fussed with them all,
But there's only one pal I find I can trust,
It's my 30-06 on the wall.

Peter, This is from a tape of some of Paul Roseland's songs made by a mutual friend of Paul's and mine, Dave Gardels, when Dave was last in Alaska. Paul is known as the 'Singing Sourdough'---has hundreds and hundreds of songs--all REAL FOLK---not the modern navel-gazing urban crap! He really must be gettin' up there's in years now I figure. Paul and I used to exchange tapes of songs once in while--but not in the last 10 years I figure. I do hope he is well, but I don't know. If anybody up in Alaska knows Paul Roseland and his music---please give him salutations from me---Art Thieme

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Bojangles (Peter Stanley)
Date: 29 Aug 98 - 02:26 AM

Art, I practicaly fell into my monitor when I saw what you had come up with on "30-06 on the Wall". A singularly workmanlike job, which I have come to recognize is not atypical of you. I have thoroughly enjoyed your many contributions.
There is only a little I can add. In 1972 I was building a cabin in the bush north of Talkeetna with my wife and 2.5 year-old son while living in a tent as I watched temperatures drop to 30 below zero. On a trip to Anchorage to get resupplied I ran into an Aussie named, I think, Wayne Mason, who had visited Paul Roseland and gathered up an armful of his songs some of which were excellent, as you say. One was "30-06 on the Wall" (or 30 US in the original drafts)
I can , I think, fill in some of the blanks from Dave Gardels' transcription of Paul's singing (although he has filled in many more of mine).

I've had lots of dogs but the dogs always die,
or else the poor devils get killed.
When you love'em and lose'em their loss leaves a hole
That seems for a time can't be filled.

I've been on good ground with the partners I've staked,
And thought they were square 'til I found
They were trying to rob me, those miserable rakes,
And whipsaw me out of my ground.

I did NOT have the verse beginning..

Oh I been a guide and was kicking around...etc

Thank you very much for your scholarly help.
We should compare notes on tapes etc Email me at [e-mail] and I'll mail you a sample. I've been fascinated by folk music for a bit over 40 years and I'd be willing to bet you've had the bug for about that long, at least.

Subject: My 30-06 on the wall
From: Peter Stanley (Bojangles)
Date: 29 Aug '98 2:26 AM

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Aug 98 - 05:30 AM

Hey, Art - have you ever been called "scholarly" before?
Nope, me neither...
(Sorry, Peter, I couldn't resist)
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Art Thieme
Date: 29 Aug 98 - 11:59 AM

Feels real nice to be called that! Wish it was true.

"30-06" is on a cassette I have of Paul Roseland singing some of his songs. Dave made that tape up in Paul's cabin. Trying to get the words off of that tape last night, I couldn't make out those words that you supplied. Thanks for clearing it up for me. (I do have other tapes that Paul sent me some years ago.)

Yes, I'll be in touch. I'm at [e-mail] or Box 117, Peru, IL 61354

Thanks again,

Art

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: BSeed
Date: 29 Aug 98 - 04:55 PM

Art, Joe, and all you other scholars: Just for those who don't know, 30-06 is pronounced thirty-ought-six, and I think is 30-'06, meaning 30 caliber, l906. The bullet is 30 caliber, but the casing is more like 45, to get more powder behind it for greater muzzle velocity and punch. It's the shell that was used in the Springfield rifles in the First World War and the Garand M-1s in WW2, as well as in BARs (Browning Automatic Rifles), and 30 caliber machine guns in US military use. --seed

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Bojangles
Date: 30 Aug 98 - 03:08 AM

What you say about the 30-0ught Six is all quite accurate as far as I know. Since you are apparently a gun buff maybe you can help on another point. When I first encountered the song it was titled either "Thirty U S on the wall", or "30 US on the wall"....NOT 30-06. I thought the song would be more understandable to non experts if 30-06 was used since that is a very common weapon. Some old and gunwise Alaskans took strong issue with the proposed change and told me the history and firing characteristics of the 30 US and stated for what reasons they felt it important to retain the old title of the song. I regret to say I have long since largely forgotten their arguments. If you have information on the Thirty US it would be of interest. Peter Stanley (Bojangles)

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Bob Schwarer
Date: 31 Aug 98 - 01:22 PM

I'll stick my oar in. If the origin of the song was prior to 1906 I would guess that 30 US refers to the .30-40 Krag (really Krag-Jorgensen). The Krag originated ca 1892. I think either cartridge could be called 30 US though.

If anyone is REALLY interested I will dig into the matter.

Bob S.

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: BSeed
Date: 31 Aug 98 - 03:11 PM

I am definitely not a gun buff: I wouldn't have one in the house, but I was in the national guard and the air force in my younger, dopier days, and I've got a pretty good memory. --seed

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 31 Aug 98 - 06:27 PM

G’day all,

I presume our protaganist’s old rifle is the ‘Springfield’ - the US Rifle Model 1903 - an accurate, reliable Mauser type bolt-action. The original cartridge for which it was designed, the .30” Government Model 1903 fired a round nosed bullet weighing 220 grains. This round would have tended to pick up the nomenclature of the rifle ... thus .30” US to distinguish from the later model 30-06.

This was replaced by the newer Model 1906 (the 30-06) - the same cartridge but a lighter, pointed bullet of 180 grains. The lighter, pointed bullet gave much better range and effect against “thin-skinned targets” (that’s you and me, folks!) whereas the older bullet, particularly when it was made with a full calibre soft point, was a much more effective stopping round against heavy determined game like the bear mentioned in the song.

I suspect that something like this accounts for the old hands’ insistence on the description of the rifle's calibre as .30” US (properly 30-03)- rather than the far better known 30-06 model of military fame.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Bob Schwarer
Date: 01 Sep 98 - 12:23 PM

Further "research" consisting of digging thru a box of misc. cartridges turned up a .30-40 Krag with a headstamp "Super-X 30 USA"

Bob S.

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Art Thieme
Date: 07 Jul 02 - 10:12 PM

Here's the song you mean.

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Noreen
Date: 08 Jul 02 - 06:38 AM

Is it?

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: fox4zero
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 04:04 AM

30 US was the 30-40 Krag

Larry

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Art Thieme
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 06:48 PM

I refreshed this so someone who phoned me looking for it could find it easier. Should've mentioned that I guess.

Art

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: GUEST,Uncle Jaque
Date: 22 Sep 02 - 01:20 PM

I surely would like to know the tune for this song; would anybody happen to have a MIDI or score for it they'd be willing to share?

Subject: RE: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Mark Clark
Date: 22 Sep 02 - 02:15 PM

What an amazing thread! I've not seen this one before. Art, did you and Peter exchange information on any more of the material you were talking about? It would sure be great to have more of that here in these threads.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Sep 02 - 11:59 PM

Losing patience with waiting for a score to come in, I proceeded to compose one myself this afternoon, and it don't sound so bad if I do say so myself.

It's in "G", 3/4 time, and uses a pretty utilitarian old-timey country chord progression, in keeping with tunes of the period.

I'd scan my score draft in and share it with everybody, but gosh - we can't do that here, can we?

Pity.

Still interested in the original melody score, it anyone has it.

By the way; I sing it as "Thirty U.S." in deference to the original. The old .30-40 Krag would have been available as military surplus (Spanish-American War vintage) during the 1920's, when I'm assuming the song was written, while the Springfield M-1903 would have still been in military use and not commonly available to Civilians. Of course some commercial guns were chambered for '06, but they were pricey, and war-surplus Krags would be in a working-man's price range. And the old krag might not have had quite the range or "punch" of the '06, but it was still nothing to trifle with! A well-placed 220-grain slug or two from a Krag could mess up a brown-bear's day, and certainly make a claim-jumper have second thoughts. I wonder what the "had but one fault" was.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Art Thieme
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 12:11 AM

Mark,

I don't recall that there was any more of an exchange than what is here in this thread. Paul has put out TWO CDs that would be quite valuable to anyone interested in some fascinating songs that look into the life and history and music of a fascinating area. "30-06 On The Wall" is not on either of Paul's CDs

One is called Paul Roseland---GOLD RUSH COLLECTION: 1849-1941

the other one is Paul Roseland--ALASKA'S SINGING SOURDOUGH---Traditional Cowboy Songs: 1880s to 1950s

Paul's voice is an acquired taste Both CDs and some good cassettes can be ordered from

Alaska Folk Music
Box 91324
Anchorage, AK 99509

(Art Thieme)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: My 30-06 on the Wall
From: Art Thieme
Date: 23 Sep 02 - 12:18 AM

guest,

If you write to Paul Roseland at the above address, I'm sure you can get the tune one way or another. It's real close to a tune I've heard "Abdul Abulbul Ameer" sung to.

Art