River Songs

Subject: River Songs
From: Folk1234
Date: 30 Oct 98 - 10:30 AM

This month's song swap topic is River songs. I'm seeking chords and background (I have the lyrics) on the following songs: New Harmony (Craig Johnson), Rolling to Cairo Town (Dillon Bustin), Living on the River (Jerry Rasmussen), and Rivers of Texas (??). Thanks in advance for your help.

[Many song titles in this thread have been converted to links by a Mudelf. The links all go to lyrics at Mudcat.]

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Oct 98 - 11:54 AM

I have been looking for almost 30 years, and I never met anyone who claimed they knew an author to "The Rivers of Texas".. I first learned it from a girl named 'Ellen' who had been in the Chicago scene in the early '60s, and she said that the story was that some guy came into a bar in Texas a few years earlier and sang it, and someone copied it down. I have no idea how true that might be..it does not 'sound' very old...but it has acted very much as a 'folk' song for 30-40 years now..

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: rich r
Date: 30 Oct 98 - 01:39 PM

Speaking of Rivers Of Texas, Art Theme has sung (written probably also) Rivers of Illinois, and Dan Keding has done Rivers of Wisconsin. That leaves 47 states unaccounted for.

rich r

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: S. P. Buck Mulligan
Date: 30 Oct 98 - 03:51 PM

Bill Staines wrote a neat tune called "River" which does not specify a particular river, but which his fellow Granite Staters always assume is the Merrimack; could be the Saco, Piscataqua, Nashua, Androscoggin, etc. as well I suppose. don't have lyrics, but should be findable if you search the web on Bill Staines.

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Bill D
Date: 30 Oct 98 - 06:19 PM

well, I have heard the "The River of New Jersey"...well done song...Dick Levine sings it...not sure who wrote it... and then there is 'The Rivers of Nebraska" as follows...<

"We crossed the Platte, we forded the Platte"
We swam the Platte; we followed the Platte....."..etc...

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Art Thieme
Date: 30 Oct 98 - 09:59 PM

The song I do was written by Win Stracke--a founder of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. It's called "Down By The Embarrass"----that's pronounced "Am-braw" by the locals. It's on KM-148 __A.T.--Songs Of The Heartland__ (sung by me & Cindy Mangsen about 20 years ago) Kicking Mule Records -- now owned by Fantasy.

Dan Keding's fine song was written by him.

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: BSeed
Date: 30 Oct 98 - 10:27 PM

There are "Shenandoah," which in some versions is about the river of that name and other times about "the wide Missouri," "Banks of the Ohio," "Way Down upon the Swanee River," [= "Old Folks at Home"]and of course hundreds about the River Jordan. Not to mention "The Seine," recorded by the Kingston Trio. --that's about two minutes' worth of thinking. --seed

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 30 Oct 98 - 10:34 PM

Of course, the DT is full of river songs. If you just search river you get...., well, I stopped looking after 140 songs. Some just mention the word river, but songs that come to mind are "Ain't No More Cane on the Brazos", Pete Seeger's "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy", and the gospel tune "Deep River". All in the DT. Bill Staines "River" is in the DT. Try the search [river run down to the sea], it takes you right there.

A song I didn't find is "Bamboo" credited to Dave Van Ronk. How about Woody's "Roll on Columbia?" Woody wrote this for pay from the US Gubmint. How politically incorrect can you get? In the DT of course!

There seems to be a river of river songs out there.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Barry Finn
Date: 31 Oct 98 - 11:39 AM

Bill D, I picked up Rivers Of East Teaxs back in the 70's from Rob Joel he said he had it as a fairly old song but I can't ask him about it now he's long gone. The best I've ever heard this done was by Skip Gorman & he's recorded it but I don't know on where or what. Barry

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 98 - 12:56 PM

Anybody got the lyrics to "Rivers of Wisconsin"? Are you lurking here, Dan Keding? care to share your song with us?
-Joe Offer, who once lived near the mighty Root River, and canoed the Wild Wolf-

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 31 Oct 98 - 08:44 PM

You can find a forum discussion of the song Rivers of Babylon.

I also remember some old sheet music for a song called something like "By the Connecticut River Shore" but hunting through my old sheet music only turned up my sinus allergy alarms.

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 98 - 09:31 PM

In the Lester Levy Sheet Music Collection, there are 159 pieces of music that have the word "river." One I found there that I like particularly is "Shall We Gather at the River."
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 01 Nov 98 - 06:17 PM

The Jolson Story had a young Al singing Banks of the Wabash. Have never seen or heard of it elsewhere. Can anyone oblige please with the lyrics?

Regards
John

Subject: RE: River Songs
From:
Date: 02 Nov 98 - 07:17 PM

There is "Congo River", but you'd never get away with singing all the verses today. A shorter version is in the database.

I can think of a couple of Canadian ones. "Roll On, Saskatchewan" and "Out On The Mira" [="Song for the Mira"](ABC's for the latter were posted earlier). And the very lively French-Canadian one, "Youpee! Youpee!", the lyrics to which I seem to recall posting in a thread some time ago.

And the McGarrigle's "Matapedia", even though they have the river flowing the wrong way.

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: JB3
Date: 03 Nov 98 - 04:34 AM

The Waters of Tyne is in the database. It's a lovely song from the Border area of England/Scotland about two lovers separated by a river.

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Nov 98 - 05:54 AM

John in Brisbane, we wouldn't want you to get away without "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away." Click here for the song.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: River Songs
From:
Date: 03 Nov 98 - 07:07 AM

"The Broad Majestic Shannon", by the Pogues, or rather Shane McGowan.

Subject: RE: River Songs
From:
Date: 03 Nov 98 - 07:10 AM

Sorry, forgot "Sweet Thames Flow Softly".

I got the title wrong. The title is "Song For The Mira", not "Out On The Mira." Pay attention, boy!:)

Doesn't Kate Rusby sing one about a Scottish river on her latest CD?

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 03 Nov 98 - 05:55 PM

Thanks Joe, and yes I did catch the other thread. Very thoughtful of you on both counts.

Regards
John

Subject: Lyr Add: RIVERS OF WISCONSIN^^
From: Dan Keding
Date: 04 Nov 98 - 05:05 PM

Joe,
Hope this is what you were looking for.

The Rivers of Wisconsin

I've crossed the broad Flambeau, I've forded the Fox
I swum the Red Cedar, I followed the Black
Sugar is muddy, the St. Croix is clear
Down by the Eau Claire I courted my dear.

Chorus
Li la li lee la lee give me your hand (3x)
There's many a river that waters our land.

The sweet Chippewa it runs glossy and gliding
The crooked Rock River runs weaving and winding
The old Wisconsin courses the plain
I never will walk by the Eau Claire again.

She hugged me she kissed me she called me her dandy
The Wolf is rocky the Plover is sandy
She hugged me she kissed me she called me her own
Down by the Eau Claire she left me a lone.

The girls of the Pestigo they're fair and they're pretty
The Big Rib and Yellow have many a beauty
The Kickapoo flows swiftly passed girls by the score
So down by the Eau Claire I'll wander no more.


All I did was put in Wisconsin rivers and change a word here or there. Let people know I had something to do with it and its all yours.

Enjoy
Dan

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: LacyEMT
Date: 04 Nov 98 - 05:20 PM

I am helping a friend search for the title and artist and other info on a song we recieved a wav. of... the beginning lyrics go :

The river is flowing, flowing and flowing. The river is flowing back to the sea. Mother carry me........ it has a very familiar ring to it but we cant place it... we both really like it tho.... so any info would be greatly helpful. Thanks in advance.... please email me at [e-mail]

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: rich r
Date: 04 Nov 98 - 07:27 PM

Haven't been back to this thread in a while, so I didn't know that Joe was hankering for Rivers of Wisconsin and glad to see that Dan K heard the cry and obliged. I got Rivers of Wisconsin off Dan's album and recorded it on a private-issue cassette about 10 years ago. Since I grew up in Two Rivers, I substituted the "West Twin" for the Eau Claire. Everybody's got to add their own little touch to this kind of song.

To Dan, if you are still out there, I also once swiped you version of "Oats & Beans" and medleyed it with Arlo Guthrie's "Down on the American Farm" for a stint at a local Heritage Days celeb.

rich r

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Nov 98 - 04:15 AM

Thanks for the song, Dan. I see you left off the Mighty Root River. Come to think about it, that's just as well. It's mentioned in the Official Song of the City of Racine, Wisconsin, the Belle City of the Great Lakes:

Oh, Racine, Racine, what a dirty rotten city
With your torn-up streets and your filthy-smelling river
Oh, I love you with my heart, and I love you with my liver.
Oh, Racine, what a hole.

Not all rivers are scenic, and there are parts of Wisconsin that aren't particularly pretty, either. But there were lots of things I liked about Racine, that dirty little industrial town where I grew up. It ain't as bad as Kenosha.
And your song did include the Wolf, which is my favorite Wisconsin River - a nice river for canoeing and the first place I ever saw a bald eagle.
-Joe Offer-

The tune for my "Racine" song is more-or-less "Turkey in the Straw." Maybe it's closer to "Do Your Ears (Balls?) Hang Low?"
-Joe Offer, April, 2005-

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Jon Eastmond
Date: 05 Nov 98 - 06:33 AM

Norma Waterson opens her 96 solo album with, "Black Muddy River" (Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter)

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Barbara
Date: 05 Nov 98 - 03:11 PM

Joe, we used to sing something similar, and I bet the tune is the same as your Racine song:

Ol' Purdue, ol' Purdue, how you make me shiver
With your old sweet shop on the Wabash River
How I love you with my heart and I love you with my liver
Ol' Purdue. (clap clap) by the river. (clap clap)

It was one of those where, each time through you sang it faster and left off the last clap).
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 07:18 AM

As we approach the first 'anniversary' of the nature made devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the human made devastation of what should have been done before and after that hurricane's landing in New Orleans and other parts of the US Gulf states, I got to thinking about the first I learned that mention levees. I remember learning this song in Mr. Sibrola junior high school music class many moons ago. Here are the words I remember of that song:

River looks dark with the shadows on it.
Mighty black clouds in the sky above.
Still I aint fraid of the rain, doggone it
River and rain are the things I love.

Rain, fall down on me.
I'm as happy as I can be.

I'm gone down on the levee.
Gonna build myself a rockin chair.
If my lovin man don't come,
I'll rock away from there.

-snip-

That's all I remember. Does anyone know the title of that song and other lyrics to it? And if I got the words wrong, please 'right' them for me, and add more lyrics if there are any.

Thanks.

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 07:21 AM

Come to think of it, that's the only song I can think of that mentions levees.

And truth be told, until Hurricane Katrina, I didn't know what a levee is.

[That may go to show you that I don't know beans about folk music. It also goes to show you that I don't get around much anymore, not that I ever did].

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Old Grizzly
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 07:53 AM

Hui Aziza

American Pie

drove my chevvy to the levee,......

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Azizi
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 07:58 AM

Hi back, Old Grizzly.

You're right. I have heard that song.

Well that makes two levee songs I know.

Thanks for reminding me.

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 01:22 PM

>>>
Subject: RE: River Songs
From: LacyEMT - PM
Date: 04 Nov 98 - 05:20 PM

I am helping a friend search for the title and artist and other info on a song we recieved a wav. of... the beginning lyrics go :

The river is flowing, flowing and flowing. The river is flowing back to the sea. Mother carry me........ it has a very familiar ring to it but we cant place it... we both really like it tho.... so any info would be greatly helpful. Thanks in advance.... please email me at [e-mail] <<<

Ya know, there is a wonderful documentary about fans of the Grateful Dead that features a girl quite high on Ex and/or LSD singing a song very much like that. it was hauntingly beautiful and I always wondered where it came from. I don't know the name of the film, but I'll look it up. I know they credited the gal in the music credits. She described learning the song from some other Deadhead who she refers to by her DH name and then launches into it acapella. later in the film, they replay her singing but add some instrumentation. I believe it may be the same song.

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Ron Davies
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 01:45 PM

Don't forget Jerry Rasmussen's delightful "Living on the River" (don't think it's been mentioned yet).

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 02:10 PM

And don't forget "River Days" and "London River"

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 02:12 PM

I forgot to say:

London River is by the much missed Rod Shearman.

River Days is by one of the major hunks on the folk scenes, Barrie Temple. (Barrie you owe me a hug for that!)

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 02:21 PM

I spent half an hour searching for that Grateful dead documentary with no luck. it came out after JG died but was shot over 3 summers when he was alive. Anyone??


Oh, my fave river song:

Matamoros Banks off the Devils & Dust album. it's about the Rio Grande. It's a song I would love to do as a duet with someone. Amos?

Subject: Lyr Add: THE RIVER SHE IS FLOWING
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 03:03 PM

Founds the song that LacyEMT was looking for byut not the film where I heard it sung:


THE RIVER SHE IS FLOWING

The river she is flowing, flowing and growing.
The river she is flowing, down to the sea.
Mother, carry me, your child I will always be.
Mother, carry me down to the sea.

The wind he is blowing, blowing and rolling
The wind he is blowing all through the trees
Gentle wind carry me, your child I will always be
Gentle wind carry me all through the trees.

The earth she is changing, changing and moving.
The earth she is changing, all through the years.
Mother Earth, carry me, your child I will always be.
Mother Earth carry me, all through the years.

The fire, he is burning, burning and glowing.
The fire he is burning, ashes to dust.
Fire carry me, your child I will always be.
Fire carry me, ashes to dust.

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 04:14 PM

Dave's Wife.

This is a Pagan chant.

Rhiannon

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Zany Mouse
Date: 26 Aug 06 - 06:36 PM

Amazing co-incidence: This is talked about in another current thread. What is the chance of that I wonder?

Rhiannon

Subject: River Songs/ Banks Of The Wabash
From: Genie
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 12:32 AM

Some other river songs I can think of right now:
Roll On, Columbia
Beautiful Ohio
Watching the River Run - Loggins & Messina
Let the River Run - Carly Simon
Proud Mary - CCR
Ol' Man River (from Showboat)
Black Water - Doobie Bros.
Green River - CCR
River Of No Return (Marilyn Monroe sang it in the film of the same name, and the Sons Of The Pioneers recorded it)
River - Joni Mitchell
By The Rio Grande - Tish Hinojosa
The River - Garth Brooks
Red River Valley
Swanee River [= Old Folks at Home]
Down by the Riverside
Flow Gently Sweet Afton
Mississippi Mud (OK, not exactly a levee, but close - a good place to beat your feet)


As for Banks of the Wabash, here's what I remember of it:

Oh, the moonlight's fair (bright?) tonight along the Wabash.
From the fields there comes a breath of new-mown hay.
Through the sycamore, the candle lights are gleaming
On the Banks Of The Wabash far away.

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 08:51 AM

Zany Mouse - I have seen people claim it as a pagan chant, an american indian song, an irish song, a welsh song and so on. Until I see some real scholorship, I'll not believe any of it.

While searching fore the lyrics, I found a completely unintentionally hilarious article citing this song as one that modern suburban women should sing to their daughters at "red parties" to celebrate their menarche. Mind you, the writer wasn't actually a Wiccan, Pagan, American indian or any such thing - just a suburban mom of judeo-christian background playing at Goddess worship.

Perhaps it's judgemental of me to critcize others for playing around at other people's spirituality and culture. However, I just can't help but find such things ridiculous. When I was working collecting folklore, language references and stories from real American Indians, I got to see up close and personal how painful it is for those born into a hijacked culture to have to sit by and see it adopted haphazardly by those trying on any new thing they come across. It is especially upsetting for those who have had to suffer as a result of their identity to see affluent folks of european descent claim that heritage as their own for a week or a year or so. (Until they come across something else 'cool" that "moves" them)

Most of the men I collected from were High Steel workers and my simply being seen with them in a public in some towns was enough to start a fight. I once hitched a ride on the back of one Mohawk guy's motorcycle to get to a dig a friend of mine was working on and we made the mistake of stopping to get a cold drink in Fort Plain (Central Upstate NY). We never made that mistake again.

End of rant - never mind me. Just getting it off my chest.

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Sorcha
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 10:04 AM

Nobody has said, Old Man River yet!!

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Genie
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 12:12 PM

Yeah, I did. 'Cep'n ah lef' the "d" offa "Old" in th' title. ;-D


But, hey, it's a great song!   (Especially Paul Robeson's later, consiousness-raised, new take on the song from the 1940s.) So no problem listing it twice.

Bill Staines's "River" is also a great song, so I'll second that mention too.

Genie

Subject: Lyr Add: WE ARE THE RIVER
From: open mike
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 01:03 PM

i seem to recall recently posting the lyrics to "We Are The River"
but i can't find them so here you go again..maybe "someone" can do
a "lyric add" ? (if not already done--the search engine seems faulty)

WE ARE THE RIVER

We're gonna wash your levees down
Coming from the Mountain
We're comin' right down thru your town
We're gonna join with the other rivers
You know, the dam don't stand a chance
Because no dam the man can build will stand
When the sea begins to dance

We're gonna join with the fishes
and help them on thier way
though the man tries to kill them
and frighten them away
From the depths up to the surface
you know the fishes can't be found
Because only water knows where the water flows
when the river's underground
when the river's underground

Maple buds are bloomin'
and the small stream trickles down
snows are a-meltin'
and the river rushes round in town
We'll have no more of your reservoirs
keepin' us from bein' free
because flood time is here my friend
and we're almost to the sea,
you know we're almost to the sea

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 01:21 PM

Pete Seeger has written a few songs about the Hudson River for what it's worth.

I also count The Erie Canal as a river song since the canal functioned as a river and parallels the Mohawk river for most of its length. Low bridge everybody down!

Not that anyone cares, but I spent a couple of summers on archaeological digs along the Mohawk River and beside remnants of the Canal. The incidents I mentioned above took place then. Beautiful country but stuck in a pre-civil rights era, I'm afraid. The decline of the canal seems to have frozen some of the larger towns in time since no new development ensued. It's a haunted sort of place, many of those old boomtowns - not yet ghost towns but they're on their way.

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Lady Hillary
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 05:02 PM

Then, there's "The River's Tale."

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Genie
Date: 27 Aug 06 - 05:37 PM

I forgot the Jimmie Rodgers song "Miss the Mississippi and You."
Jimmie didn't write it, but he did a great job singing it.

And can we count "Catfish John" as a river song?

Subject: Lyr Add: OH GALENA (Jim Post)
From: erinmaidin
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 06:48 AM

"Oh,Galena" by Jim Post:L
Subject: Lyr Add: OH GALENA (Jim Post)
From: Melani - PM
Date: 23 May 04 - 04:08 PM

My papa is a slave on the Fever River,
Works all day in the burnin' sun.
Loadin' the wood in the red-hot smelter;
He's so tired when the day is done.
When the lead starts to flow into the ladle,
Scrape off the top and let the pig cool down.
Load the pig lead into the master's wagon,
Down Stagecoach Trail to Galena town.

Cho: Oh, Galena, oh, Galena,
    You're such a pretty little riverboat town;
    But I wish we could spend more time on the levee,
    Watchin' the riverboats come to town.

A slave is only worth what his back can carry;
So I guess my papa's worth about half of the world;
I heard him say to mama after supper,
"I wish that boy was lucky, like the girls.
'Cause the girls get to work in the nice warm kitchen,
Cookin' the food and fetchin' the clothes.
When the rocks freeze to the ground in the winter,
That boy will sweat like a mule in the falling snow."

Cho:

Now slavery's not legal in Illinois;
That's what I heard Reverend Cartwright say.
And if someday we get our freedom,
That's gonna be a dancing day.
We'll build us a cabin on the Fever River,
We'll file a claim and we'll dig for lead.
When we hit it, then we'll be rich folks,
And we'll sleep in a feather bed.

Cho:

Subject: Lyr Add: RIVER (Bill Staines)
From: erinmaidin
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 06:51 AM

I was born in the path of the winter wind,
Raised where the mountains are old --
Their springtime waters came dancing down,
And I remember the tales they told.

The whistling ways of my younger days
Too quickly have faded on by,
But all of their memories linger on
Like the light in a fading sky.

River, take me along,
In your sunshine, sing me a song,
Ever moving and winding and free,
You rolling old river, you changing old river,
Let's you and me, river, run down to the sea.

I've been to the cities and back again,
And I've been moved by some things that I've learned.
Met a lot of good people and called them friends,
Felt the change when the seasons turned.

I've heard all the songs that the children sang,
And I've listened to love's melodies.
I've felt my own music within me rise
Like the wind in the autumn trees.

River, take me along,
In your sunshine, sing me a song,
Ever moving and winding and free,
You rolling old river, you changing old river,
Let's you and me, river, run down to the sea.

Some day when the flowers are blooming still,
Some day when the grass is still green,
My rolling waters will round the bend
And flow into the open sea.

So here's to the rainbow that's followed me here
And here's to the friends that I know,
And here's to the song that's within me now --
I will sing it where'er I go.

River, take me along,
In your sunshine, sing me a song,
Ever moving and winding and free,
You rolling old river, you changing old river,
Let's you and me, river, run down to the sea.

(Think this is by Bill Staines and I think I got it off of an old Mary and Frances Black recording)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: GUEST,Mary V.
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 09:41 PM

I didn't see Down by the Riverside!

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Genie
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 10:28 PM

erinmaidin, those are the lyrics to Bill's song "River," which some of us have listed above. It's a great song!

Subject: RE: River Songs
From: Amos
Date: 28 Aug 06 - 10:37 PM

DW:

Be delighted -- but you'll have to larn me how it goes...

A