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04 Jul 09 - 05:37 PM (#2671642) Subject: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau From: Flyer Looking for Lyrics, Chords, whatever for this great tune, I believe it was penned by Robin and Linda Williams, it appears on Long Live Bluegrass!: CMH Records 30th Anniversary Special. I believe it was also on "In The Jailhouse Now: Prison Songs & Murder Ballads CD" |
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04 Jul 09 - 07:54 PM (#2671721) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau From: Charley Noble Flyer- It is a fine Robin & Linda Williams song. I used to sing it myself, loved the tune as well, one of those modal Appalachian tunes. I no longer have the words but it must be on their website. Have you tried searching for it? Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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04 Jul 09 - 08:05 PM (#2671724) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau From: Flyer Good point! I did several "Lyrics for" searches but did not come up with them, I did not think to check their Website, will do so now, Thx! |
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04 Jul 09 - 08:13 PM (#2671728) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau From: Charley Noble Flyrer- Here's a link to their website but I'm not finding any lyrics: Click here for website! Charley Noble |
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04 Jul 09 - 08:23 PM (#2671731) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau From: Flyer Yup! Just got back from thier Website, no lyrics there. |
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05 Jul 09 - 11:33 AM (#2672038) Subject: Lyr Add: MURDERERS ON THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU From: Charley Noble Well, I finally found a MP3 file and after listening to it came up with these lyrics: By Robin & Linda Williams As Recorded on Dixie Highway Sign, Track 11, © 1979 MURDERERS ON THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU The oak and poplar trees grew tall around our mountain farm With corn in the crib and tobacco in the barn; The word came up from Pikesville, cross the valley to our door, That men were dressed in blue and gray and headed off to war; Our days of living good were short and little did we know, We'd be driven out by murderers from the Cumberland Plateau. Shiloh took a rebel boy and Johnson was his name, His Pa called us Unionists; he held us to blame; They caught my husband by the spring; they shot him from behind, Leaving nothing but Hell's fury burning in this heart of mine; I hid my babies in the woods, I kept their crying low, No one could stop those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau. They burned the house and the fields, they stole the cattle and the swine; Their drunken laughter ridiculed my darling who lay dying; No one was there to hear us as we sang our bitter tune Of broken-hearted paupers on the wretched road to ruin; So we headed off the mountains to the settlements below, Driven out by murderers from the Cumberland Plateau. I'm sunburned and I'm dirty and I'm mired in poverty, And the memory of a distant grave is all that carries me; My fists are white with rage, my face is flooded fury red When I tell my sons the names of the ones who shot their father dead; I can see it, yes, their unforgiving eyes do show They won't forget those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau. Oh, dread disease and famine, please don't take my sons, I'll need them soon as they've strength to hold a gun; We'll be going back for sure as this world turns around And the hollows, creeks and snags will ring with the bloody battle sound; Back up to Kentucky where the oak and poplar grow, Back to slay those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau. Back up to Kentucky where the oak and poplar grow, Back to slay those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau. I think I've transcribed it correctly but there are a few words that are hard to catch. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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06 Jul 09 - 12:41 AM (#2672445) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau From: Gene Murderers on the Cumberland Plateau Written & Recorded by Robin & Linda Williams The oak and poplar trees grew tall around our mountain farm With corn in the field and tobacco in the barn The word came up from Pikesville, cross the ridges to our door That men were dressed in blue and gray and headed off to war Our days of living good were short and little did we know We'd be driven out by murderers from the Cumberland Plateau. [Shiloh] took a rebel boy, Johnson was his name His pa called us unionists and he held us to blame They caught my husband by the spring, they shot him from behind Leaving nothing but hell's fury burning in this heart of mine I hid my babies in the woods, I kept their crying low No one could stop those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau. (Shiloh is unclear to me) They burned the house and the fields, they stole the cattle and the swine Their drunken laughter ridiculed my darling who lay dying No one was there to hear us as we sang our bitter tune Of broken-hearted paupers on the wretched road to ruin So we headed off the mountains to the settlement below Driven out by murderers from the Cumberland Plateau. I'm sunburned and I'm dirty and I'm mired in poverty And the memory of a distant grave is all that carries me My fists turn white with rage, my face is flooded fury red When I tell my sons the names of the men who shot their father dead Oh I can see it, yes, their unforgiving eyes do show They won't forget those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau. Oh, dread disease and famine, please don't take my sons I'll need 'em soon as they have strength to hold a gun We'll be going back for sure as this world turns around And the hollows, creeks and snags will ring with the bloody battle sound Back up to Kentucky where the oak and poplar grow Back to slay those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau. TAG: Back up to Kentucky where the oak and poplar grow-ow Back to slay those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau. |
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06 Jul 09 - 09:11 PM (#2673451) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau From: Charley Noble Gene- You're correct that it's "ridges" not "Valleys" in the first verse. The tune is also interesting in that it is definitely Appalachian but has more than two parts. I do prefer their 1979 rendition but it's interesting to hear their revised rendition. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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06 Jul 09 - 11:31 PM (#2673529) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murders on the Cumberland Plateau From: Neil D Shiloh] took a rebel boy, Johnson was his name His pa called us unionists and he held us to blame They caught my husband by the spring, they shot him from behind Leaving nothing but hell's fury burning in this heart of mine I hid my babies in the woods, I kept their crying low No one could stop those murderers on the Cumberland Plateau. (Shiloh is unclear to me) Shiloh was a major battle of the American Civil War. It means that Johnson was a Confederate soldier killed in that battle. The young man's father accused the family of the woman narrating the song of being Union sympathizers and took out his grief in revenge on them. Whether they actually were Unionists isn't made clear but as the Cumberland Plateau lies in a border area (KY,WV,TN), Kentucky in this song, there would have been supporters of both sides. This led to a lot of brutal violence that was really peripheral to the war itself. The most notorious blood feud in American history was fought in that region between two families who had fought on different sides in the Civil War: The Hatfields (Confederate) and McCoys (Union). |
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26 Sep 12 - 12:20 AM (#3410247) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murderers on the Cumberland Plateau From: GUEST Any chance someone could tab/chord this for me? |
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26 Sep 12 - 10:04 AM (#3410433) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Murderers on the Cumberland Plateau From: Jim Dixon Here's what I hear: Verse 2 line 1: Shiloh took a rebel boy, Johnson was his name Verse 4 line 3: My fists punch white with rage, my face is flooded fury red Verse 5 line 2-3: I'll need 'em soon as they have strength enough to hold a gun 'Cause we'll be going back as sure as this world turns around |