Lyr Req: South (Moten, Hayes, Charles)

Subject: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 01:24 AM

Someone told me tonight at a jam that there are words to the 1940's Western swing tune - "South".   This is one of my favorite instrumental tunes with a nice swingy beat. Do any of you know the lyrics ?

It has been done by all the big swing bands, including Spade Cooley.

Because of the song's rather generic title it's next to impossible to search it out on the web. Any help would be appreciated.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing
From: BanjoRay
Date: 29 Nov 06 - 05:53 AM

Well, in the Bob Wills recording the only words are various falsetto expostulations like "Oh Yeah" etc
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 01:57 PM

BanjoRay - according to two fellows I was playing with, they had both heard lyrics to "South" - not just Bob's exuberant vocalizations!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing
From: Sorcha
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 02:17 PM

Is this 'That's What I Like About the South'?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Nov 06 - 06:55 PM

Benny Moten's "South"?
Played by many dance groups in the 1950s; a revival of the 1920's hit by Benny Moten. Written by Leonard?
My memory is failing.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 12:58 AM

Sorcha - I don't think it's "That's What I like About the South" which I associate with the singer Phil Harris. I'm pretty sure it
is not.

This "South" has a bouncy 1st part somewhat reminiscent of "Johnson Rag".

A friend called me today and says he has the words. I'll post them when I get them.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 01 Dec 06 - 02:49 PM

For "South," two instrumentals by Bennie Moten, try this:
www.redhotjazz.com/bmkc.html
South

Also listen to his "South Street Blues."

Subject: Lyr Add: SOUTH (Moten, Hayes, Charles)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Dec 06 - 06:35 PM

SOUTH was originally written and recorded as a jazz instrumental tune, that is, without lyrics. It was written by Bennie Moten and Thamon Hayes, and recorded by Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra in 1924. The same orchestra made another recording in 1928. You can hear both of them at The Red Hot Jazz Archive. You can hear another instrumental version from 1944 by Kid Ory's Creole Orchestra

Lyrics were written later. Here is the catalog data from Indiana State University:

Title: SOUTH.
First Line: Down below that old Dixon Line, there's a place that really is fine
Chorus: Where the folks are happy and gay, and the easy way is the right way
Music by: Moten, Bennie, and T. Hayes.
Words by: Charles, Ray.
P/P/D: New York : Peer International Corporation, c1941.
Location: SPC, KIRK PS 1940-1941

Allmusic.com has sound samples of recordings of vocal versions by The Maddox Brothers and Rose, Lynette Morgan and the Blackwater Valley Boys, and Bob Scobey's Frisco Band. I have listened to them and pieced together the following lyrics. I don't know if they're complete. I have shown variants in parentheses:

***

Down below that old Dixon line,
There's a place that really is fine.
Don't you know what I'm talkin' about?
You want to find out, then take a trip with me (or "to meet me")
Down below that old Dixon line.
Where the sun is (or "stars are") happy to shine.
Where a friendly face is common to see.
That's where I'm longin' to be.

Where the folks are happy and gay,
And the easy way is the right way,
Where the bees make honey (or "music") all day.
Don't you know you're right next to heaven down south
Where the moon shines mellow and bright
And the breeze plays tag with the night.
That's where the sundown gals hold you tight.
Lordy, how I love the south!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: 'South' - western swing
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 04 Dec 06 - 03:41 PM

That's the one I know-- first heard from the Canote Bros. and Sandy Bradley, playing as the Small Wonder String Band, who told me later they got the words from the sheet music and the tune from Bob Wills.

I think the first line is "down below that old Dixie line" even though i would love to have the reference to Mason and Dixon's Line, which I live only four miles north of.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: South (Moten, Hayes, Charles)
From: GUEST,Buz Lloyd
Date: 02 Sep 20 - 12:31 PM

I have (somewhere) an LP from a string/swing band, _______________________ and his Georgia Playboys with a delightful rendition of "South". I cannot recall the band leader's name and am not finding it on the internet. I acquired the LP twenty or thirty years ago from John Hatton at a fiddlers' convention and it is one of my favorite albums from musicians of that era (40's? 50's?) whom I had never heard of!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: South (Moten, Hayes, Charles)
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Sep 20 - 12:44 PM

Via Google I see a reference from 1954 to Tom Gibson and the Georgia Playboys. Link to page in journal The Billboard.