Lyr Req: On the Old Fall River Line

To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café ^TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=18903
32 messages

Lyr Req: On the Old Fall River Line

05 Mar 00 - 10:40 AM (#189832)
Subject: On the old Fall River line
From: The Navigator

Now that I have discovered you guys, I'm going to try to reconstruct some of the songs my Daddy used to sing in the 20s, and 30s. Who remembers a song with these lines: On the old Fall river line, on the old Fall river line, Oh I wish oh lord, she'd fell over board on the old fall river line

Click here for related thread.

05 Mar 00 - 09:25 PM (#190115)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: Sandy Paton

I can't help with this one, but I sure want to see the answer! Where'd your daddy live? Can you remember any more of it? This will bring it back up to the top, for the lazy scanners among us.

Sandy

05 Mar 00 - 10:35 PM (#190152)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: JedMarum

Well we just had a thread on this the other day. We have done some digging. The song refers to the Fall River MA to NYC ferry line that ran during the hey day of the textile industry that was dominated by Fall River and Lawrence MA mills in the mid to late 1800s, and into the 20th century. My Mom and Dad used to sing it, and I would love to find the rest of the song. I am surprised we haven't heard from Kendall on this one.

I just wrote a song about this city, and my grandfather. I was born there, as was he ... he used to take me for walks all around the city when I was small. I saw Fall River well, past its prime ... and in a very serious decline ... but he saw it in its glory.

06 Mar 00 - 08:49 AM (#190312)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: kendall

sorry, never heard of it. But, keep trying, I know hundreds of old songs that no one likes anymore.

06 Mar 00 - 11:09 AM (#190379)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: JedMarum

Kendall - hundreds of songs no one likes anymore? Are you keeoing a sort of Antiques Barn for old songs? I have seen many such places along the Maine highways. Perhaps it is a regional occupation and you've simply applied the same calling to music!

06 Mar 00 - 11:13 AM (#190380)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: Pelrad

Gee, with all the interest displayed about this song lately, it's likely to hit the Top 40. :-) I'll get moving on this. I should be getting my sound driver back on the computer tonight, and I can even make a wav file so y'all can hear the tune. Give me a day or two...I'll double check the words while I'm at it.

06 Mar 00 - 01:34 PM (#190451)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE OLD FALL RIVER LINE
From: Pelrad

Okay, just to be thorough, I'll post these lyrics in both threads. I got on the horn to my mom this am and filled in the missing line. Here's the entire thing.

The Old Fall River Line

Talk about your mooning, and spooning
Take a trip to Boston, it's fine.
Cruising up the bay, boys, hooray, boys
I was on the upper deck when I met mine.
I said, "Sue, in your sailor suit,
You look perfectly cute!"

CH: On the Old Fall River Line,
On the Old Fall River Line,
I fell for Suzy's line of talk,
She fell in with mine;
And then we fell in with the parson
And he tied us tight as twine.
But I wish, Oh Lord, I fell overboard
On the Old Fall River Line!
Yes I wish Oh Lord I fell overboard
On the Old Fall River Line!

Now the boat has landed, we're stranded
Spooners by the dozen and more.
Hear the Captain calling and bawling
"Is there anybody wants to go ashore?"
Everybody just answered then,
"Turn the boat 'round again!"

07 Nov 01 - 10:22 PM (#587965)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: harpgirl

Hey! Navigator is my old daddy!!!!

08 Nov 01 - 09:41 AM (#588192)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: JedMarum

This a great song, and an important part of local history (to Southern New England). Durnig its 'hay day' the old Fall River Line was a popular service that offered a fun, exciting and fast (for its time) ferry trip from southern MA to NYC. I have a precious recording of my parents singing this song in my living room. They were in their late 70's when I captured it on tape. This is one song I'll have to learn!

08 Nov 01 - 10:18 AM (#588211)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: harpgirl

Hi Jed...my granddad, referred to in the first post by my father The Navigator, grew up in Blackburn. He came over on a boat with my grandmother and his two brothers about 1910.

Elizabeth Catteral Dodd was trying to catch up to her ne'er do well husband who left her with my granddad and his brothers, back in England. I'll have to learn it as well. Got the chords?

08 Nov 01 - 12:26 PM (#588296)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: JedMarum

no chords, don't even have enough melody, yet - my parents struggled with the verse but recalled the chorus pretty well.

08 Nov 01 - 12:50 PM (#588317)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: MMario

chords

url=http://sailorsongs.com/on_the_old_fall_river_line.htm

08 Nov 01 - 01:14 PM (#588332)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: MMario

At The Lester S. Levy Collection of Sheet Music: ON THE OLD FALL RIVER LINE Box 154 Item 047

url=http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/levy-cgi/display.cgi?id=154.047.000;pages=4;range=0-3

08 Nov 01 - 02:07 PM (#588397)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: GUEST

Navigator.......

I'm doing the same with my father-in-law (now 86).
Wonderful old and obscure stuff.

I have that Fall River song in an old Harry Von Tilzer songbook, which I just finished indexing. Von Tilzer was very prolific - many recognizable titles. Do you need any of these?

08 Nov 01 - 02:11 PM (#588405)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: Tiger

Navigator.......

That Von Tilzer list was from me - I just had to reset my cookie.

08 Nov 01 - 06:32 PM (#588573)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: Snuffy

Guest, I'd be interested in A Bird In A Gilded Cage. The version in the DT has only two verses, but I have a tape of a field recording made in Suffolk (England) in 1959 where three verses are sung. How many in the original?

Probably best to start a new "Lyric Add: Harry von Tilzer" for them if you get a lot of requests.

WassaiL! V

08 Nov 01 - 07:29 PM (#588610)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: MMario

put it this way - if it ain't in the DT or the Forum - someone is going to want to see it.

08 Nov 01 - 08:11 PM (#588658)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: GUEST,Gina Dunlap

The song was recorded by Wickford Express a few years back. They are from Rhode Island, sorry I don't know their lable.

08 Nov 01 - 11:28 PM (#588756)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: Pelrad

It's not on either of the Wickford Express albums, although they were performing it at the time they recorded Fair Winds. It IS on Compass Rose's CD "Shipmates," referenced in another thread on the same topic. (Compass Rose is basically Wickford Express minus Cindy)

09 Nov 01 - 06:50 AM (#588864)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: Tiger

Snuffy.......

That one's in the DT - incorrectly titled 'Guilded', but a search on 'gilded' still finds it. Two verses, plus chorus - same as I have.

One typo: 'rcst' in 2nd. verse should be 'rest'.

09 Nov 01 - 09:25 AM (#588944)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: Snuffy

Tiger, my tape has three verse + chorus. The extra verse comes between the two in the DT. But if HvT didn't write that verse, where did it come from?

WassaiL! V

09 Nov 01 - 09:54 AM (#588958)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: Tiger

Hi, Snuffy.........

Could be the folk process in action. There've been a hundred years to fiddle with it.

Does your verse fit with the others in terms of language and tone? Or, does it sound like some P.C. plunge (to put right the characterization of women) where the ink is still wet.

Does it sound like Arthur J. Lamb, or more like something the Scouts would do between stanzas of "On Top of Spaghetti"?

I'd really like to see it and add it to mine if it looks real. How about posting it here for inspection? A new thread, maybe?

09 Nov 01 - 05:19 PM (#589265)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: Snuffy

Here it is - i't goes between the two verses in the DT version:

The beautiful woman surveyed the scene,
Her flatterers by the score.
Her gems were the purest, her gowns divine:
So what could a woman want more?
But memory brings back the face of a lad,
Whose love she'd long spurned aside.
For happiness cannot be bought with gold,
Although she's a rich man's bride.

WassaiL! V

10 Nov 01 - 12:53 PM (#589722)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: Tiger

Well, Snuffy, it seems to fit.

The language fits the other two verses, without any sense that it was coined later by someone wanting to cash in on a political trend or new hot button. If it said something like "Now that she's got the vote, her cares are gone." that would be a dead giveaway.

My only concern - it doesn't follow the A-B-A-B rhyming scheme that Lamb uses in most of our original lyric.

Do you know any more about that recording?

10 Nov 01 - 01:21 PM (#589735)
Subject: RE: On the old Fall River line
From: Francy

I was raised in Jamestown Rhode Island and we used to take the ferry across Narragansett Bay to Newport and drive to Fall River. My friend was Portuguese and we'd all go to Fall River to great Portuguese reunions; lots of music from Portugal, lots of chorize, moonsala, and memories. Unfortunately theFall river of my youth was already on the decline......I still have many friends there...........Frank of Toledo

30 Nov 10 - 09:52 PM (#3043982)
Subject: Lyr Add: ON THE OLD FALL RIVER LINE
From: Jim Dixon

Comparing the lyrics posted above with the sheet music, I find a few differences, which I have boldfaced:

ON THE OLD FALL RIVER LINE
Words, William Jerome and Andrew B. Sterling. Music, Harry Von Tilzer.
New York: Harry Von Tilzer Music Pub. Co., 1913.

1. Talk about your spooning, and mooning
Take a trip to Boston; it's fine.
Sailing up the bay, boys, hooray, boys,
I was on the upper deck when I met mine.
I said, "Sue, in your sailor suit,
You look certainly cute!"

CHORUS: On the Old Fall River Line,
On the Old Fall River Line,
I fell for Susie's line of talk,
And Susie fell for mine;
Then we fell in with a parson
And he tied us tight as twine.
But I wish, O Lord, I fell overboard
On the Old Fall River Line!

2. When the boat is landing, they're standing
Spooners by the dozen and more.
While the Captain's calling and bawling
"Is there anybody wants to go ashore?"
Ev'rybody just answers then,
"Turn the boat 'round again!"

18 Jun 18 - 12:15 PM (#3931710)
Subject: RE: Snuffy's 3rd verse to A Bird in a Gilded Cage
From: GUEST,Haruo

Facebook thread

Wikipedia, which got its lyrics from pdmusic.org, agrees with the DT in giving only two verses and the chorus.

Any information about the origins and history of the proposed second verse of three will be welcomed! I intend to sing the song next Father's Day, see FB thread for why.

19 Jun 18 - 02:33 PM (#3931948)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Old Fall River Line
From: GUEST,Charley Noble

Evidently I've been kicked off the Cat again!

Anyway I also did some research on this song and is my practice did some wording changes and added a final verse:

The first version is what I sing and the second version is my source:

By William Jerome & Andrew B. Sterling (words) and Harry Von Tilzer (music), 1913
Adapted by Charlie Ipcar 5/9/2016
Tune: adapted from Traditional The Irish Jubilee
Key: D (2/C)
The Old Fall River Line

C------------------------G----C---------------------G-----------------C
You may talk about your mooning and your spooning on the Line
----------------------F---C------------G-------------------G7
As you take a trip to Boston, I’m sure you’ll find it fine.
F------------------C----------------F-----------------G---C
Cruising up the Bay, me boys, hurrah, it can’t be beat,
F---------------------C---------------G---------G7---------C
Strolling ‘long the upper deck in search of maids so sweet.

Chorus:

----------F
On the Old Fall River Line,
---------C
On the Old Fall River Line,
-------------------F-------C
I fell for Suzy's line of talk,
G-----------------G7
She fell in with mine;
-----------F-----------------C
Then we fell in with the parson
----------F------------------C
And he tied us tight as twine;
----------F---------------------C
Now I wish to Lord, I fell overboard
---------G----------G7----C
On the Old Fall River Line!

At once I spied a handsome maid a-reading in her chair;
I sauntered up and asked her name which she shyly did declare;
Says I, "Sue, in your sailor suit, you look so very cute!"
She smiled at me as she replied “You’re a gallant young galoot.” (CHO)

And now the boat’s at the dock; we're safely back ashore:
Spooners by the dozens, merry maids and more;
The chaperones, the parents, the aged and the lame,
And everyone can hardly wait to board that boat again! (CHO)

So Sue and I got married, in a cottage we do dwell,
And night and day I slave to keep my growing family well;
But sometimes in my dreams I’m on the Bay again,
Beneath the moon, without a care, cruising round the bend. (CHO)

Source version:

The Old Fall River Line

Talk about your mooning, and spooning
Take a trip to Boston, it's fine.
Cruising up the bay, boys, hooray, boys;
I was on the upper deck when I met mine;
I said, "Sue, in your sailor suit,
You look perfectly cute!"

Chorus:

On the Old Fall River Line,
On the Old Fall River Line,
I fell for Suzy's line of talk,
She fell in with mine;
And then we fell in with the parson
And he tied us tight as twine;
But I wish, Oh Lord, I fell overboard
On the Old Fall River Line!
Yes I wish, Oh Lord, I fell overboard
On the Old Fall River Line!

Now the boat has landed, we're stranded
Spooners by the dozen and more;
Hear the Captain calling and bawling
"Is there anybody wants to go ashore?"
Everybody just answered then,
"Turn the boat 'round again!" (CHO)

Composed in 1913 by William Jerome (words), Andrew B. Sterling (words) and Harry Von Tilzer (music) set on a steamship of the Fall River Line of steamships between New York and Newport, Rhode Island, which connected with trains from Newport to Boston.

Charlie Ipcar, formerly known as "Charley Noble"

19 Jun 18 - 02:38 PM (#3931952)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Old Fall River Line
From: Charley Noble

Here's a link to how I sing it, click on the MP3 button for a sample: for a good time click here

Charlie Ipcar

20 Jun 18 - 10:35 AM (#3932149)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Old Fall River Line
From: leeneia

Thanks for bringing this clever song back.

21 Jun 18 - 09:17 PM (#3932526)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Old Fall River Line
From: Charley Noble

Steve Martin also did a version of this song.

23 Jun 18 - 08:35 PM (#3932942)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: On the Old Fall River Line
From: GUEST

At the Fall River Maritime Museum there is a display of this song with a recording. It got my attention. Glad to see it here.