Origin: Hill and Gully Rider-is there such a song?

Subject: ADD: Hill and Gully Rider^^
From: Elizabeth
Date: 14 Mar 99 - 01:32 AM

I have a version in one of my ABC (Australia) school song books and it has appeared in the past more than once. It's listed as traditional Jamaican and has four verses as follows:

Took my horse an' comin' down,
Hill an' gully
But my horse done stumble down
Hill an' gully
An' the nighttime come an' tumble down
Hill an' gully.

The refrain appears between each line of the following verses too.

Oh the moon shone bright down,
Ain't no place to hide in down,
An' a zombie come a ridin' down

Oh, my knees they shake down
An' my heart starts quakin' down
An' I run 'til daylight breakin' down.

That's the last I set down,
Pray the Lord don' let me down.
Ain't nobody goin' to get me down.


(A bit nasty really!!)


^^

Subject: RE: Hill and Gully Riders - is there such a song?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 13 Mar 99 - 03:52 PM

Hi- It did appear in Banana Boat Song, but not in Bellafonte's version: The Tarriers recorded it at the same time, and did it as a medly of Day-O and Hill and Gully Riders, both of which were collected in the Islands and published by the Library of Congress back in the late 30s. There was a lawsuit about who had rights to what they both had stolen (borrowed, liberated, whatever); I don't recall who won.

Subject: RE: Hill and Gully Riders - is there such a song?
From: Penny
Date: 13 Mar 99 - 01:41 PM

Haven't been in the loft, but the internal search engine has come up with an extra line.

Hill and gully rider, hill and gully,
Hill and gully rider, hill and gully,
And a ben' down, low down, hill and gully,
And a low down bessie down, hill and gully,
And you better mind you tumble down, hill and gully.

I think that's it.

Subject: RE: Hill and Gully Riders - is there such a song?
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 13 Mar 99 - 12:45 PM

Again, Doug Lipman uses this with kids a lot. Heavily rhythmic. simple tune. good zipper song.

Mary Ann

Subject: RE: Hill and Gully Riders - is there such a song?
From: Penny
Date: 13 Mar 99 - 03:55 AM

This was used in a BBC Schools broadcast some years ago. Unfortunately, a) I can't remember any more than Animaterra, b) Our school has had a major disposal of past pamphlets. I may have a copy in my loft, but haven't the time this weekend.

Subject: RE: Hill and Gully Riders - is there such a song?
From: mountain tyme
Date: 13 Mar 99 - 03:29 AM

The C & W song was done by the Light Crust Doughboys and the Sons of the Pioneers and covered by others. The name of the song escapes me right now. The words you have are the tag only. When I locate it I'll be back. It was a popular song up to the late 40s and covered in the early 50s till the demise of that style music.

Subject: RE: Hill and Gully Riders - is there such a song?
From:
Date: 12 Mar 99 - 05:38 PM

In "Day-O," Harry sang:

Hill and gully rider, hill and gully,
Hill and gully rider, hill and gully,
Day-o, day-o, daylight come and me wan' go home....

The rest of Day-o never mentioned "Hill and gully rider" again.

Maybe he borrowed the hill and gully stuff from another song (Harry did go to college in NYC, and was hip to the American traditional folk songs before concentrating on calypso and developing a Caribbean accent. I played music in the West Indies for six years and picked up a lot of calypso. West Indians love Harry, but they know he's from stateside).

Mark

Subject: RE: Hill and Gully Riders - is there such a song?
From: Bob Landry
Date: 12 Mar 99 - 05:31 PM

I seem to remember these words being used in a Harry Belafonte song.

Bob

Subject: RE: Hill and Gully Riders - is there such a song?
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 12 Mar 99 - 05:07 PM

I don't have a recording but in my old copy of "hi Ho the Rattlin Bog" by John Langstaff these are the words:

Hill and gully rider, hill and gully
Hill and gully rider, hill and gully
An' a bend down, low down, hill and gully
An' yuh better watch yuh tumble down, hill and gully

The source is given as being Jamaican. Hope this helps! Allison

Subject: RE: Hill and Gully Riders - is there such a song?
From: Paul Slater (inactive)
Date: 12 Mar 99 - 05:06 PM

Yes, there is definately such a song. Unfortunately I can only remember the first line of the chorus which was the same as your song title. Not much help but may encourage you to search further. Cheers, Paul

Subject: Hill and Gully Riders - is there such a song?
From:
Date: 12 Mar 99 - 04:53 PM

My dad who is in his 70's sang a song in his childhood about "hill and gully riders". I'm told it's a country and western song but I can't find a recording of it. Has anyone ever heard of this song from say, the 1930's or so? Does anyone know how I might get a recording of it? Thanks!