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16 messages

Lyr Req: Katy Wells? / Kitty Wells (Bishop)

11 Apr 00 - 08:29 PM (#210340)
Subject: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: richardw

Does anyone know anything about, ie who might have written it etc, the popular Civil War song Katy Wells. Not to be confused with the country singer named Kitty.

richard

11 Apr 00 - 08:37 PM (#210341)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: GUEST,Bruce O.

Chas. Atherton according to the info on a copy of "Kitty Wells" in the Levy sheet music collection (Mudcat's Links)

11 Apr 00 - 09:41 PM (#210382)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: kendall

I still sing this one, although it has gone through a change, it is now..you ask what makes this poor boy weep.. I learned it as ..you ask what makes this darkie weep..

11 Apr 00 - 10:44 PM (#210405)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: richardw

Thanks Barry and Kendall;

But damn Barry, you got me again ;-) I was sure I had been to Levy--it is usually my first stop now. I have now gone there and downloaded it and tried it out on the keyboard. Words are exactly the same as the version I learned from the singing of Bobby Horton,(he calls it Katy Wells) but the tune is quite different. There are similarities, but its different. Folk process at work I guess. I wonder which version you sing Kendall?

Horton too had changed the darkey line. Man, that word sure crops up in a lot of old tunes.

The words I sing were written by a goldminer in BC in 1866 when he was lamenting the loss of his Annie, who was no longer interested in him. Interestingly, he kept many of the words and phrases of Kitty Wells and enclosed them in ""quotes to show those he copied.

Thanks again

richard

11 Apr 00 - 11:22 PM (#210421)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: GUEST,Les B

Richardw: Could you post the words you sing ? I've been trying to find some "new" civil war songs to learn. Thanks.

12 Apr 00 - 01:04 AM (#210472)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: The Beanster

LesB,

You might find this link helpful--has tons of American Civil War songs (lyrics and many melodies via MIDI). Click here

12 Apr 00 - 03:16 AM (#210503)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: Stewie

Here's another site relating to poetry and music of the civil war. It also has tons of links relating to war.

click here

12 Apr 00 - 06:14 AM (#210531)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: Banjer

For another really good CW music site try thisClick Here

12 Apr 00 - 09:05 AM (#210562)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: kendall

Here is the song I learned as a boy...

You ask what makes this darkie/poor boy weep
Why I, like others am not gay
What makes the tears roll down my cheeks
From early morn 'til close of day

refrain

The birds were singing in the tree tops
The Myrtle and the Ivy were in bloom
The sun on hill tops was shinning
As they laid her in the tomb.

I never shall forget the day
We roamed together through the hills
I kissed her cheek and named the day
When I would marry Kitty Wells.

repeat refrain

Then death came to my cabin door
And took from me my joy and pride
And when I learned that she was gone
I laid my banjo down and cried.

rep. ref.

12 Apr 00 - 11:05 AM (#210619)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: richardw

Kendall;

Check out the Levy site. The Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection; http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu/index.html

Your version is half verses, except your 2 & 3 which are one verse. Then there is another 8 line last verse.

Interesting how the process goes.

richard

12 Apr 00 - 12:57 PM (#210678)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: kendall

thanks for the info. thats all I ever knew of it. Couldnt raise that web site you gave...

12 Apr 00 - 04:29 PM (#210786)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: richardw

Kendell;

sorry about that. I left out the edu. Try this. It's a great, useful site.

http://levysheetmusic.mse.jhu.edu/index.html

richard

12 Apr 00 - 05:10 PM (#210804)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: GUEST,Bruce O.

It's in Mudcat's Links, and on my homepage. Just click on it there.

12 Apr 00 - 07:11 PM (#210863)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: Irish sergeant

I hadn't heard of the song but I'll have to check out the links. I'm always looking for new Civil War music. The word "darkie' tends to show up alot in CW music, yes, but it shows up most predominately in African-American music and in the music of the minstrel shows. I believ the reason for it showing up in the minstrel shows was their penchant for using black face and co-opting slave music for their own uses. Have a great night all and keep singing, neil

12 Apr 00 - 07:14 PM (#210868)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: GUEST

All we need for that is a new civil war.

13 Apr 00 - 02:15 AM (#211031)
Subject: RE: Katy Wells - Civil War
From: richardw

After another several hours of song searching I also found Kitty Wells at the Library of Congress, American Memory collection of song sheets. http://memory.loc.gov.

There is no date on any of the sheets but here the song is credited to Thomas Sloan Jr. Perhaps one or the other is an aka.

richard