Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: Amos
Date: 28 Mar 09 - 02:50 AM

Well said, Art. And that's the truth of it, too.


A

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: GUEST,Birmingham Rails
Date: 21 Sep 11 - 10:23 PM

Hi,

Thanks to all for this fine information. I just learned "Jerry" from the Folkways CD mentioned in the thread. I am looking forward to singing it with my friends.

John "Birmingham Rails" Stewart
Hoover, AL

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 May 12 - 09:30 AM

refresh!

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: Lighter
Date: 28 Dec 18 - 08:27 PM

From the Portland "Oregonian" (Apr. 29, 1917), p.5:


To the Editor. - I saw mention in last Sunday's issue of the song, Jerry, Oil the Car." I inclose same herewith, as it came from the pen of the author, James O'Reilly, a railway telegrapher, who had worked on a section while awaiting something better.

It was a favorite song in railroad construction camps in the early '80s in the Rocky Mountain regions, and was a satire on the section foreman on roads in the far East and Middle West, who, armed with a brief authority, imagined themselves petty princes, and their self-importance was exceeded only by their tyranny toward their subordinates.

A. M. SINNOTT


JERRY, OIL THE CAR

You've heard of Larry O'Sullivan,
All the way from the "good auld sod."
He was 40 years a section boss
And never had a wreck on the road.
He made it a point to put ev'ry joint
With the force of the tamping bar;
And while the boys were shimming up the ties,
Jerry would oil the car.

And ev'ry Sunday morning sure
Old Larry to his men would say:
"Git ready, me byes; yez all know well
Me wife's goin' to church today.
I want ev'ry man to pump all he can;
As the distance is quite far;
And we must git in before Number Tin,
So Jerry, go oil the car!"

You should see old Larry in the Winter time,
When the hills were clad with snow,
Like a king in his pride on the car he'd ride,
As over the track we'd go;
With his big sojer coat buttoned up to the throat
All danger he would dare;
And when we got to the section post,
Jerry would oil the car.

And when the roadmaster showed up
As he came down the line,
To receive in state a man so great,
Larry would take him to dine.
At dinner time in the section house
'Twas the same old tale again -
Ham and eggs for the roadmaster,
And the "dry-salt" for the men.

He took us out one stormy night,
The rain fell fast and thick,
To save the track from washing out;
Next day he took down sick.
The doc was called, who felt his pulse,
And, with a misty eye,
Said Larry's pass was writ and signed
O'er the track to the sweet by-and-by.

As we all gathered at his bedside,
This favor he did crave:
"Whin I am dead, let me be laid
Under the frog in me grave.
Let the spike-maul rest upon me breast,
Wid de gauge an' the auld claw bar,
And while the byes are puttin' me to rest,
Jerry will oil the car.

"Give my respects to the roadmaster,"
Were the next words he did cry.
"Hould me up, and let me see
The handcar before I die."
He grew so weak he could not speak
As he lay upon his dying bed,
"Joint ahead," and "center back,"
Were the last words the old man said.

Lord rest you, Larry O'Sullivan
You were so kind and good;
You made the boys bring home old ties
After work, made them chop the wood;
For the water also, to the well they'd go,
And cut the kindling fine;
And if they'd growl - oh "Pon me soul,"
You'd send them down the line.

Chorus -
The last words he said on his dying bed
"I niver hired a tar;
"Joint ahead" and "center back"
And "Jerry, oil the car."

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: Lighter
Date: 28 Dec 18 - 10:32 PM

Aberdeen [S. Dakota] Daily News (March 6, 1888):

"Brakeman James Mulligan...is one of the steady boys and we hope to soon see him out on top, twisting the wheels to his favorite tune of 'Jerry, Go Oil the Car."

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: GUEST,Jon Bartlett
Date: 29 Dec 18 - 11:24 PM

It's probably worth pointing out what a "frog" is (And when the b'ys go out for to fix the track with the gauge and the old claw-bar,/Oh I'll hear the click of the frog in the switch,/ Singin' "Jerry, go 'ile the car.") The frog, also known as the common crossing (or V-rail in Australian terminology), is the crossing point of two rails. The rhythm of the train on unwelded track is broken when the train runs over a switch ("points" in Br. usage).

I used to work in London in the 60's and lived south in Sussex, necessitating a train journey each way of about 45 mins. I could go to sleep coming home from London and wake up exactly as the train pulled into the station by my unconscious remembering the distinctive break in the rhythm caused by the frog.

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: Lighter
Date: 30 Dec 18 - 08:03 AM

Thanks, Jon!

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Dec 18 - 08:56 PM

Nice to see this thread refreshed.

Charlie Ipcar

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: EBarnacle
Date: 01 Jan 19 - 09:33 AM

Just to add to the confusion, shouldn't the line "Hold me up" read as "Hoist me up?"

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: Lighter
Date: 01 Jan 19 - 10:12 AM

Naah, they're lifting him up by hand, not raising him with a rope.

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: EBarnacle
Date: 01 Jan 19 - 12:08 PM

I am considering that Mary L. McKay had several significant "folk process" changes inflicted on it almost immediately after being written. These changes are now the official version rather than the as written version. The same can be said of the Ship the Diamond and many others.

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Sep 19 - 07:56 AM

The famed but elusive Michael Dean (1858-1931), woodsman compiler of the booklet "Flying Cloud," sang this song to the tune of "The Star of the County Down":

http://www.minnesotafolksongcollection.org/item/mcd/a009

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: Lighter
Date: 14 Sep 19 - 07:59 AM

GUEST was cookieless me.

Subject: RE: Origins: Jerry Go and Oil That Car
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Jun 20 - 10:51 PM

"Tar" in this usage is likely a variation of "tarry" (pronounced "terry") meaning to delay or loiter. Take a look at "Drill ye Tarriers, Drill" for another period usage in a railroad work song.