Origins: Old Dog Blue

Subject: RE: Old Dog Named Blue
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 08:56 PM

I did "Ol' Blue" on my first LP about 1975 --- as a vehicle in which to insert my version of Richard Chase's "THE SPLIT DOG" --a very tall tale. And Guy Carawan had a fine version of it out in the 1960s.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Old Dog Named Blue
From: GUEST,Alexis
Date: 28 Jul 04 - 03:25 AM

Tennessee Ernie Ford did a nice version of "Ol' Blue". I had the Lp til I wore it out. It's out of print now - but was from the late 1950s. Other songs on that record included "Pretty Little Pink" and "Barbara Allen".

Subject: Lyr Add: COME ON, BLUE!
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 09:16 PM

Lyr. Add: COME ON, BLUE !

Come on, Blue! Come on, Blue!
Dere's a 'possum in Heabn fer me an' you!
So come on, Blue! Come on, Blue!

Soon old Blue died; I dug his grave
With a --- and a silver spade.
Come on, Blue! Come on, Blue!

I let him down with a golden chain,
And every link I called his name.
Come on, Blue! Come on, Blue!

Now since Blue haft gone to Heavn,
I says, "Go on, Blue! Go on Blue!
Dere's a 'possum in Heavn fer me an' you."

Collcted from Mississippi Negroes, MS. of W. P. Cassidy; 1909.
E. C. Perrow, "Songs and Rhymes from the South," Jour. American Folklore, 1911, v. 25, pp. `37-155, no. 17.

Subject: Lyr Add: OLD BLUE (from Burl Ives)
From: GUEST,Joe_F
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 09:31 PM

As sung by Burl Ives on _More Folksongs_:

I had an old dog; his name was Blue,
And I bet you five dollars he's a good one too,
Saying, come on, Blue, mm-mm.

Blue chased a possum up a 'simmon tree,
Blue looked at the possum, possum looked at me,
Saying go on, Blue, you can have some too.

Bake that possum good and brown,
Leaving sweet potatoes round and round,
Saying come on, Blue, you can have some too.

Old Blue died, and he died so hard
That he jarred [charred?] the ground in my back yard,
Saying go on, Blue, I'm a-coming too.

I dug his grave with a silver spade,
And I let him down with a golden chain,
Saying go on, Blue, I'm a-coming too.

When I get to heaven, first thing I'll do,
I'll grab a horn and call for Blue,
Saying come on, Blue, finally got here too.
--
--- Joe Fineman [e-mail]

||: Taste is the esthetics of hypocrisy. :||

Subject: Lyr Add: OLE BLUE (from King Family)
From: Goose Gander
Date: 27 Dec 05 - 11:07 PM

Ole Blue

from . . . .

Voices From the Dust Bowl

OLE BLUE

King Family
Arvin, 1940

I had a little dog, and his name was "Blue"
I'll tell to you what he would do
He'd leave home every night about dark
Wouldn't be gone long till you'd hear him bark
Ole Blue, you rascal you, Ole Blue

One time he ran, when he got free
He got a big possum up a white oak tree
Oh Blue, you rascal you, Ole Blue
Gonna climb up there and get him down
I'll have him cooked good and brown
Sweet potatoes laid all around and around
Ole Blue, you rascal you, Ole Blue

One day Ole Blue, he tak'n got sick
We sent for the doctor, and we sent for him quick
For Blue, you rascal you, Ole Blue
Ole Blue he died and he died so hard
He scratched little holes all over the yard
Ole Blue, you rascal you, Ole Blue.

We dug his grave in a shady place
And covered his grave with a possum face
Ole Blue, you rascal you, Ole Blue
We dug his grave with a silver spade
And let him down with a golden chain
Every link of that chain slipped through my hand
I'll call his name
Ole Blue, you rascal you, Ole Blue

When I come lay my banjo down
And go to heaven and wear a crown
You Blue, you rascal you, Ole Blue
When I get there I know what I'll do
I'll get my horn and I'll call for Blue
"Heah Blue! Yeach, Blue, you rascal you,
Ole Blue."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Blue
From: Cruiser
Date: 22 Sep 06 - 05:05 PM

Dan in Florida:

I doubt you are still around since this was your only post over 7.5 years ago. However, the album you are looking for is "Listen to the Eagle" is by Paul Ott. I posted earlier regarding "Old Blue" and Paul's rendition is the one you were searching for.

Also, the reference to the 'Stars that fell on Alabam' is in the song "I'm the South" and the reference to the Indian chief is in the song "A Letter to the President" where the old chief asks on Sept 12, 1855 how one can sell and buy the air, land, and water. Paul's narration lyrics are backed by the beautiful music of 'Shenandoah'

It has been over 2 years since I replied to this thread and I still have not gotten the CD, but I definitely will. Mr. Ott has one of the purest male voices I have ever heard. Paul is from Mississippi so that also fits your search for a singer from the SE United States.

Here is the link again and all the songs have sound clips available:

Listen to the Eagle


Cruiser

_____________________________________________________________

Subject: RE: Old Dog Named Blue
From: GUEST,dptymk
Date: 27 Nov 10 - 01:25 PM

Years ago I had an album by Roy Acuff with this song, sorry, but the name of the album escapes me

Subject: RE: Old Dog Named Blue
From: GUEST,Morgana
Date: 28 Nov 10 - 10:48 AM

Traditional

Well, I had an old dog and his name was Blue,
Had an old dog and his name was Blue.
Had an old dog and his name was Blue...
Betcha five dollars he's a good dog too...
"Here old Blue"
"Good dog you"

Well, I shouldered my axe and I tooted my horn,
Went to find 'possum in the new-grown corn.
Old Blue treed and I went to see,
Blue had 'possum up a tall oak tree.
Mmm, boy I roast'd 'possum, nice and brown,
Sweet po-ta-toes, n' all a-round...
And to say "Here old Blue (here-boy)
You can have some too"

Now, Old Blue died and he died so hard,
Made a big dent in my back-yard.
Dug his grave with a silver spade,
Lowered him down with a link of chain.
Ev-er-y link I did call his name...
Singing "Here Blue-ue...
"Good dog you"

Now, when I get to heaven, first thing I'll do.
When I get to heaven, first thing 'awm do.
When I get to heaven first thing I'll do,
Pull out my horn and call old Blue...
I'll say, "Here Old Blue come-on dog"
"Good dog you."

I'll say, "Here Blue-e"
"I'm a coming there too"

(As sung on the LP Joan Baez Ballad Book)

Subject: RE: Old Dog Named Blue
From: Cruiser
Date: 17 Jan 11 - 08:16 PM

Here is the complete version of Ole Blue by Paul Ott from a 45 rpm.

Ole Blue Paul Ott

Subject: RE: Old Dog Named Blue
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Mar 12 - 07:00 PM

I'd always assumed the "Giles County" in Jim Jackson's version of the song was Giles County, Tenn., about 200 miles east of Beale Street and Memphis. But then again, I'm from Tennessee. I guess it could just as well be Virginia.

Subject: RE: Old Dog Named Blue
From: Joe_F
Date: 09 Mar 12 - 06:04 PM

You can't beat Cruiser's post for authenticity: Ott himself, and Blue himself!

Subject: RE: Old Dog Named Blue
From: olddude
Date: 09 Mar 12 - 09:27 PM

Art Thieme, best version for me ... played it today actually

Subject: RE: Old Dog Named Blue
From: Leadfingers
Date: 09 Mar 12 - 10:44 PM

I had a dog and his name was Green

Weirdest Gog I've ever seen

Green he had a greenish Skin

Four webbed feet and a dorsal fin

Wish I could credit the writer , but it has to be about 1968 that I heard that !!

Subject: RE: Old Dog Named Blue
From: GUEST,Jerry K Green
Date: 22 Jul 17 - 11:18 PM

July 22, 2017 10:00 pm Central Time.
I just googled to see what I might find about a song called Old Blue, and discovered this site and Old Blue Thread.
When I was a little boy in the 1930s in Texas, my older brothers taught me the only version of the song that I had heard of till now.
Before I was born in 1931, my family had 'followed the crops' from the Texas gulf coast into lower Oklahoma in 1926,27,28 & 29, picking cotton, etc., to survive. I was told that they learned this simple song from other field hands. In reading all the posts in this thread, I saw bits of 'our' version in different posted versions. Here is the one I sing:

Evey evening just about dark
You can hear Old Blue for he begins to bark
Here, Blue, you rascal you, here Blue

And then one day Old Blue took sick
We called the doctor come here quick
Here, Blue, you rascal you, here Blue

The doctor came and he came on a run
He said Old Blue your hunting's all done
Here, Blue, you rascal you, here Blue

Old Blue he died and he died so hard
That he dug little holes all over the yard
Here, Blue, you rascal you, here Blue

I dug his grave with a silver spade
And I let him down on a golden chain
Here, Blue, you rascal you, here Blue

Now Blue's in Heaven wearin' a golden crown
And I'm down here goin' 'round and 'round
Here, Blue, you rascal you, here Blue

Subject: RE: Ol' Blue
From: GUEST,Rick Jackson
Date: 26 Sep 17 - 06:31 AM

I grew up in Mississippi in the 70s and this song (along w/a video of Paul Jr. running w/his hound dog) was used as a promotional clip for MS conservation...loved it...even found the video on youtube

Subject: RE: Origins: Old Dog Blue
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jan 22 - 09:58 PM

The other Youtube video posted above of 'Old Dog Blue' by the late Paul Ott is no longer available. He is a current link to this gem:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKL_jVl-S2U

Subject: RE: Origins: Old Dog Blue
From: Stewie
Date: 12 Jan 22 - 06:44 PM

The wonderful intro by Doug Dillard was mentioned a couple of times above. It is available on YT if you haven't heard it. It will put a smile on your face.

Old Blue

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Origins: Old Dog Blue
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Apr 23 - 05:22 PM

Early Video of a boy & hisn bluetick hound a'treein' a masked critter