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07 Apr 98 - 03:50 AM (#25346) Subject: History of From: kate@huskynet.com Hi! I'm researching the lyrics and a history of the song "Shenandoah." I wonder if anyone can give me some information on how the song came about, and what is the "Shenandoah" that the singer refers to? A person? A place? I always thought it was about a river, and that there was an indian chief who had a daughter that the singer was in love with...something about "I'll take her cross the shining water...Any help would be greatly appreciatated. |
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03 Nov 98 - 03:47 PM (#44038) Subject: O Shenandoah From: nannamk Trying to get some info on origin and words of the above. |
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03 Nov 98 - 04:00 PM (#44041) Subject: RE: O Shenandoah From: Pete M Hi nannamk, if you type in shenandoah in the filter box of the forum main page, set the age to 365 and click on "refresh threads" you will find the previous discussions on the origins of this song, Pete M |
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03 Nov 98 - 04:08 PM (#44043) Subject: Lyr Add: SHENANDOAH From: MMario these words? Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you Way hey, you rolling river. Shenandoah, I long to hear you Away, we're bound away 'cross the wide Missouri. Oh, Shenandoah, I love your daughter Wey hey, you rolling river. Oh Shenandoah, I love your daughter Away, we're bound away 'cross the wide Missouri. Missouri she's a mighty river Wey hey, you rolling river. When she rolls down, her topsails shiver Away, we're bound away 'cross the wide Missouri. Seven years, I courted Sally Wey hey, you rolling river. Seven more, I longed to have her Away, we're bound away 'cross the wide Missouri. Farewell, my dear, I'm bound to leave you Wey hey, you rolling river. Oh, Shenandoah, I'll not deceive you Away, we're bound away 'cross the wide Missouri. according to the shantyman of the USS Shenandoah this tune originated with the flatboats during the 1800's |
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03 Nov 98 - 05:44 PM (#44060) Subject: RE: O Shenandoah From: Roger in Baltimore Hello Nannamk, There was another thread about this song back in May. Click here to be amazed by the depth and breadth of knowledge amongst the Mudcat clan. Roger in Baltimore |
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22 Mar 00 - 11:56 AM (#199168) Subject: Lyr Add: SHENANDOAH (Connie Dover version) From: GUEST,Rex This version I got from a Connie Dover album. According to liner notes, it is a song that was sung by both rivermen and cavalrymen in the American West; The last verse can be taken as insult or bragging, depending on whether the singer was one or the other. O, Shenandoah, I long to see you Whey hey, you rolling river O, Shenandoah, I long to see you Whey hey, I'm bound away cross the wide Missouri For seven years I courted Nancy No other girl would suit my fancy She would not have me for her lover Tho I never courted any other One day she left for Kansas City And its there she had a little baby She must have had another lover O, I swear it was a cavalry soldier (Repeat first verse) (from the "Somebody" album, Connie Dover) |
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22 Mar 00 - 07:26 PM (#199461) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Rex, what is the name of the Connie Dover album? I'd love to hear her sing this! |
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03 Dec 01 - 12:27 PM (#602741) Subject: Lyr Add: SHENANDOAH From: GUEST,tricycle Oh Shenandoah, I long to hear you, Away you rolling river, Oh Shenandoah I long to hear you, Away I'm bound away, 'Cross the wide Missouri Oh Shenandoah, I love your daughter, Away you rolling river, Oh Shenandoah I love your daughter, Away I'm bound away, 'Cross the wide Missouri Oh Shenandoah, I'm bound to leave you, Away you rolling river, Oh Shenandoah I'll not deceive you, Away I'm bound away, 'Cross the wide Missouri Oh Shenandoah, I long to hear you, Away you rolling river, Oh Shenandoah I long to hear you, Away I'm bound away, 'Cross the wide Missouri I am looking for different/more lyrics (to include: "I long to see you...I long to see your smiling valleys, and hear your rolling rivers...") tricycle2003@yahoo.com |
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03 Dec 01 - 12:30 PM (#602745) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: MMario tricycle - see post above yours. Also try putting "Shenandoah" into the search filter. |
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03 Dec 01 - 01:40 PM (#602788) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Dead Horse Oh Shenandoah, I loves your daughter Away, you rolling river I loves the place, where she makes water etc. Rude shipboard version. |
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03 Dec 01 - 03:14 PM (#602875) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Keith A of Hertford In his 1926 book, John Samson gives it as a popular capstan shanty ("..easily one of the first three.") but says that it started as a song that was always a great favourite in the US Army. Bound away, Keith. |
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03 Dec 01 - 07:52 PM (#603038) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: jaze There are several great versions of this song I can think of: Arlo's, Van Morrison's, but none I've heard have the power and simplistic beauty of Connie Dover's. I want that cd for Christmas! |
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13 May 04 - 04:07 PM (#1185023) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: GUEST,Big Ron I just heard Peter Nero do it last night with his chorale group, the voices of the pops. He said that it was a sea chanty sung abord ships. He also said that he "Looked it up" and that Shenandoah was an indian Chief and the sailor who is singing the song fell in love with the chief's daughter. I didn't quite belive all this and that is why I am here today. |
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13 May 04 - 04:08 PM (#1185024) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: GUEST,MMario Ron - check the links to other threads at the top of this thread. there is a LOT of information out there. |
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13 May 04 - 05:31 PM (#1185080) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Q (Frank Staplin) The long thread (101) posts lots of information- but also lots not to 'believe.' |
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28 Jan 05 - 02:35 PM (#1391561) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: GUEST,tom p hi ihave just found this site, i can play shenandoah on the mouth organ, please could you let me know the correct words to this most wonderfull tune i belong to a usa civil war reenactment society in england, they would have played this tune then wouldnt they 1861 1865 thanks tom prior |
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28 Jan 05 - 04:18 PM (#1391640) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: GUEST They would most certainly have played this tune (and sung the song) during the Civil War. It was one of the favorite "campfire songs" among both the Union and Confederate armies. You might be interested in contacting this group Southern Horizon . They have recorded "Shenandoah" and did quite a bit of research on the version that was probably current during the Civil War. Their CD's would probably be quite reasonably priced, given the weakened state of the US dollar, and would be a good musical resource for you. |
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28 Jan 05 - 09:32 PM (#1391908) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Q (Frank Staplin) There is no credible published evidence of the song being sung by soldiers during the U. S. Civil War. |
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28 Jan 05 - 11:31 PM (#1391991) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: GUEST There are many historians and re-enactors who would disagree with Q. But he knows everything, right? |
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29 Jan 05 - 08:39 AM (#1392184) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: GUEST,Lighter at work See my current post on the thread "Song Info: Shenandoah." When it comes to songs, "many historians and re-enactors" who usually know better do sloppy research or none at all. They believe what they want to. They also often assume, as do many Mudcatters, that people in the past had almost the same folksong repertories as a '50s revival singer. I mentioned elsewhere the movie about CSS "Hunley" that had Yankee sailors singing "Fiddlers Green," which a Southerner then described as an old Irish song his mother had sung to him! Off by only 100 years, fellows! JL |
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29 Jan 05 - 10:27 AM (#1392235) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: GUEST,Lighter at work Years ago I was told of a different second chorus to "Shenandoah" which went "And a rollin' [maybe "a-rovin'"] I must go, Across the wide Missoureye." I believe it was sung by folksinger Bill Bonyun in the early or mid sixties. I did not hear the whole thing myself. Does anybody have The words to this entire version? |
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29 Jan 05 - 02:09 PM (#1392435) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Q (Frank Staplin) I just noticed that the "Southern Horizon" cd also has "Redwing." The lyrics were copyrighted in 1907, as noted in another thread, but a similar tune called "Birdie" (and other names) was popular in the 19th c. |
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20 Feb 05 - 07:15 PM (#1415945) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Steve T. |
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20 Feb 05 - 07:21 PM (#1415954) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Steve T. |
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27 Sep 08 - 09:52 AM (#2451543) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: GUEST,harrygirl my goddddddddddddddddddddddd........................i like the song it's amazingggggggggg....... the feeling........ peaceful...... |
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24 Aug 10 - 12:07 AM (#2971526) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: GUEST My favorite verse, heard at a San Francisco folk festival by Mahalia Jackson's daughter (sorry don't know her name) For seven years, I've been a rover, Away, you rolling river. For seven years, I've been a rover, But I've returned to be your lover. |
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24 Aug 10 - 08:32 PM (#2972181) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Art Thieme How about My favorite dog was always Rover, Away you rollin' river, Watch where you step, my darling lover, Away, we're bound away... The last line was something about "merde happens." |
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23 May 11 - 06:48 PM (#3159422) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: GUEST,kbadtges I think Shenandoah is the name of the Indian chief in the song |
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24 May 11 - 11:09 AM (#3159749) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: GUEST,Daniel I always thought it was about someone who longed to return home to the Shenandoah Valley. |
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24 May 11 - 04:56 PM (#3159943) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: dick greenhaus As I recall, th song achivde a burst of popularity when Eugene O'Neill use it in "Long Voyage Home" |
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15 Jun 11 - 03:56 PM (#3171090) Subject: Lyr Add: SHALLOW BROWN From: GUEST,GUEST, D.P. Shenandoah I read most of the other thread and this one, after doing so I was struck by the idea that this might be a slave song. Lyrics to the song were first published in 1882, and it was around the mid-1850s that many slaves (and their masters) began a serious emigration to Missouri. For one thing, importation of new slaves had been made illegal. "Bound Away" sounds very suggestive, and has been used in this sense at the time, as in Shallow Brown- Oh I'm bound to leave yer Shallow Oh Shallow Brown Oh I'm bound to leave yer Shallow Oh Shallow Brown Bound on board a whaler Bound on board a whaler Massa gonna sell me Massa gonna sell me Sell me for a dollar A great big Spanish dollar I'll cross them Chile Mountains I'll pump them silver fountains So put me clothes in order The packet sails termorrer Oh the packet sails termorrer I leaves yer with great sorrer So fare thee well my Juliana Fare thee well my Juliana *** The possible tie to the Dred Scott case (which is credited for beginning the Civil War) intrigues me. Harriet Robinson and her to be husband were both born as slaves in Virginia and later sent to St. Louis via steamboat. On the steamboat Harriet gave birth to her first child, a daughter. In addition, Harriet's owner was Major Lawrence Taliaferro who was an Indian Agent for the government, who later had a daughter with an Indian woman (his wife and he had no issue). This could be an explanation for the verses about an Indian, which are written in the third, not first person. http://aauw.columbia.missouri.org/HarrietSCOTT.pdf |
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15 Jun 11 - 05:47 PM (#3171132) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Q (Frank Staplin) The version of "Shallo Brown" with reference to slavery seems to be a recent remake, (by Helen Schneyer?). None of the early ones have any mention or allusion to slavery, although mention is made of a mulatto or black woman in some (crossover with "Sally Brown?). |
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09 Jun 20 - 12:19 PM (#4058406) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Lighter Fred R. Bechdolt, "The Sailor's Chantys," S.F. Sunday Call, Mag. Section (June 4, 1911) p. 5 “Of these windlass chantys there are many and they come from many places. The negro roustabouts on the Mississippi invented one, to sing while carrying cotton from the levee to the steamers. That was taken up by deep sea sailors and now is sung on every sea. ‘Shenandoah’ is its name. It goes like this: Shenandoah, I love your waters First chorus—And awa-a-a-y, you rolling river I love your clear and rushing waters. Second chorus—Ah! ah! ah! We’re bound away, Across the western ocean. (In the negro roustabout version, ‘Western Ocean’ was ‘Wide Missouri.’ The stanzas follow without choruses, which are always the same.) The ship sails free, a gale is blowing, Her braces taught and sheet a-flowing. Black eyed Sue is sure a beauty, To sing her praise it is our duty. Give me a good old Yankee clipper, A bully crew and a swearing skipper. Shenandoah, my heart is longing To see again your rolling waters." |
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10 Jun 20 - 01:23 PM (#4058638) Subject: Lyr Add: SHENANDORE / SHENANDOAH From: GUEST,Radriano Hi Deadhorse, The verse you quoted is from John Short's version of the song. According to him, on most American ships they would sing "Shanadore" - and I don't see any rudeness to that line. It's quite charming with no rude words at all. I find John Short's songs very interesting as he was singing decades before Stan Hugill so his songs represent earlier versions of shanties. Short's version of Shanadore is half the standard Shenandoah verses and half Sally Brown verses. Short's version also uses "wild Missouri" instead of "Western Ocean." SHANADORE From Short Sharp Shanties, Sea Songs of a Watchet Sailor, Volume 2 Solo: Oh, Shanadore, I long to hear you Chorus: Hooray, you rolling river Solo: Shanadore, I can't get near you Chorus: Aha, I'm bound away on the wild Missouri Shanadore, I love your daughter I love the place she makes her water I'm bound away, I cannot stay I'm bound away for Mobile Bay I'm bound away for Bristol City Where the girls they are so pretty Seven long years I courted Sally Seven long years I could not gain her She said I was a tarry sailor Oh Sally Brown, I'll never grieve ya I gave her gold, I gave her silver When she rolls down her topsails quiver Farewell, my dear, I"m bound to leave you I'm bound away but I'll ne'er deceive you |
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10 Jun 20 - 01:52 PM (#4058645) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Lighter From the Short Sharp Shanties page. (Outstanding CDs, by the way, if anyone hasn't heard): "Several years after he had initially introduced his parishioner, John Short, to Cecil Sharp, the Rev. Alan Brockington – by now a vicar in Liverpool - wrote to The Times in response to a discussion about the origins of Shenandoah, going on to say that: ‘I visited Mr. Short again in 1928. My wife was with me, and I asked him to sing Shanadar for her benefit. He said: “I don’t know as I like Shanadar.” I wondered why he did not like the song, and then I remembered that that we had omitted from the published book one line he had sung in 1914, on account of its – well, unsuitability. Mr. Short seeing a lady was present and being too old to change his words at a moment’s notice, escaped from his embarrassment by saying that he did not like the song. Whereas in 1914, it was the only tune that, of his own proper volition, and without any remark from Cecil Sharp, he had praised.’ The line, duly noted in Sharp’s notebook and faithfully recorded on the CD is, of course: Oh Shanadar, I love your daughter I love the place she makes her water." |
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13 Jun 20 - 07:03 AM (#4059075) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: GUEST Better near rhymes given by "sailor" and "gain her". When did modern "Hooray" become more common than "Hurrah"? Different for different countries? Marine Corps?! |
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13 Jun 20 - 09:54 AM (#4059094) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Lighter Oxford has a "hurray" (spelled "hurrea") from Goldsmith in 1773 and "hurray" (thus spelled) from Thackerey in 1855. The OED finds the spelling "Hooray" from 1888. As one who used to analyze this stuff as part of my job, I can say that I never encountered the USMC "OO-rah!" till the '90s. Same for U.S. Army and Air Force "HOO-ah!" and U.S. Navy and Coast Guard "HOO-yah!" Somebody must actually have gotten paid for introducing these. During the Civil War, Confederates gave various "rebel yells" in battle, while Federals to have favored "Hurrah" and "Hurray." |
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13 Jun 20 - 10:33 AM (#4059103) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: GUEST Thanks for precise references. |
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13 Jun 20 - 03:46 PM (#4059137) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Lighter Thomas Odell, "The Smuggler, a Comedy" (Dublin, 1729), p. 29: "ALL. Hurray! that's well; but how was't?" |
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13 Jun 20 - 05:05 PM (#4059142) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Rex Lighter, I thank you for these references. I am always looking for word origins. I've found the earliest mention of the related cheer "huzza" in 1811 Dictionary in the Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose "Said to have been originally the cry of the huzzars or Hungarian light horse; but now the national shout of the English, both civil and military, in the sea phrase termed a cheer; to give three cheers being to huzza thrice." I find this in accounts during the Civil War and Spanish American War and invite any views you may have on its origin. And then there's "Three Cheers and a Tiger"... |
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14 Jun 20 - 07:36 AM (#4059210) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Shenandoah From: Lighter Oxford has "huzza" from 1573, "hurrah" from 1686. Back from thread creep: there's this note to "huzza": "apparently a mere exclamation....It is mentioned by many 17–18th cent. writers as being originally a sailor's cheer or salute: ‘It was derived from the marine and the shouts the seamen make when friends come aboard or go off’ (North Exam. (1740) 617). It may therefore be the same as 'heisau!' 'hissa'! originally hauling or hoisting cries.... (German has also 'hussa as a cry of hunting and pursuit, and, subsequently, of exultation.)" In other words, *perhaps* it originated at sea, though what a writer in 1740 might have known about word usage more than 150 years earlier is open to question. |
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21 Sep 23 - 02:01 PM (#4187092) Subject: Lyr Add: SHENANDOAH From: Lighter In "Cape Breton Captain," Capt. David A. McLeod recalled these lyrics from the 1870s: Oh Shanandoah, I love your daughter Away you Rolling River My bully boys, I lover her ever Ah, ah, we are bound away To cross the Wild Missouri. The sails are set and the gale is howling Away you Rolling River The tack is down and the sheets aflowing. Ah, ah, we are bound away To cross the Wild Missouri. Oh Shanandoah, be good to Alice Away my [sic] Rolling River Till the day I die I shall ne'er forget her. Ah, ah, we are bound away To cross the Wild Missouri. |
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21 Sep 23 - 02:01 PM (#4182149) Subject: Lyr Add: SHENANDOAH From: Lighter In "Cape Breton Captain," Capt. David A. McLeod recalled these lyrics from the 1870s: Oh Shanandoah, I love your daughter Away you Rolling River My bully boys, I lover her ever Ah, ah, we are bound away To cross the Wild Missouri. The sails are set and the gale is howling Away you Rolling River The tack is down and the sheets aflowing. Ah, ah, we are bound away To cross the Wild Missouri. Oh Shanandoah, be good to Alice Away my [sic] Rolling River Till the day I die I shall ne'er forget her. Ah, ah, we are bound away To cross the Wild Missouri. |