06 Jun 00 - 06:02 PM (#239092) Subject: hurrah for those green mountain boys From: GUEST,lkcpalmer@email.com I am looking for a song that I learned at camp when I was a kid. The song was about the revolutinary war. The words I can remember are:
Just a bunch of boys, sir, oh, but they were grand The redcoats couldn't find them, forward or behind them Cause their eyes were keen, sir, and green the mountain land. Oh the mountains sing and the valleys ring, hurrah for those green mountain boys. |
07 Jun 00 - 03:15 PM (#239499) Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys From: SINSULL Mbo has to know this. If we can get him off the island long enough to respond. |
07 Jun 00 - 09:19 PM (#239673) Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys From: Susan A-R New one one me. Perhaps Margaret MacArthur knows of this one. She sometimes cruises through here, and might check her personal pages, also Wally Macnow may have ideas. I'll ask my historical music buff friend about it too. Susan A-R |
08 Jun 00 - 01:58 PM (#239967) Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys From: GUEST,Hutzul I have been looking for this lyric for years! I've probably forgotten the melody by now. I do remember it being sung by a female vocal group in the 60's and can only remember the same lyrics as LKC. Don't drop the thread, Mudcatters, someone out there must know. |
08 Jun 00 - 02:12 PM (#239976) Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys From: GUEST,Nancy-Jean There is a "Green Mountain Boys" song in the Helen Hartness Flanders Collection, but the one I see is about a bunch of fellows getting rowdy with whiskey and good times and gurls, etc. I think this is not what you learned at camp as a kid. You woulda maybe gotten your mouth washed out with soap. Keep tryin! Nancy-Jean |
08 Jun 00 - 06:08 PM (#240079) Subject: Lyr Add: GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS (Bill Bonyun) From: Mbo I found one "Green Mountain Boys" here but it doesn't have the same words. --Mbo GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS As recorded by Bill Bonyun on "Who Built America: American History through Its Folksongs" (1950)
1. Oh, the Green Mountain boys came down, down, down,
CHORUS: Oh, Vermont is a land where a man is just a man,
2. Oh the green, green hills were hushéd down with snow, |
08 Jun 00 - 09:05 PM (#240151) Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys From: Art Thieme GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS from a group called the "Womenfolk" -- or something like that... on VERVE/FOLKWAYS maybe.
In a little valley by a ridge they made a stand,
Chorus:
The farmer dropped his plow and took his rifle from the wall,
Every man was ready, sir -- as near as I can see, sir,
In a little valley by a ridge they made a stand, Art Thieme...
-Joe Offer- |
09 Jun 00 - 07:17 PM (#240590) Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys From: MAG (inactive) Someone Else who remembers the Womenfolk -- my big sister Susie brought it home and was one of the things that hooked me. Probably a produced group a la the Great Folk Scare, but I didn't/don't care. First place I heard Rickety Tickety Tin. I asked about them here once. |
12 Jun 00 - 10:54 PM (#241788) Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys From: GUEST,LKCPalmer@email.com YOU DID IT! Thank you for the lyrics, I had been looking for a long time. The Library of Congress suggested you guys, and you came through big time. |
13 Jun 00 - 10:04 PM (#242158) Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys From: Sourdough "The Library of Congress suggested you guys"? Now that's a vote of confidence and worth a public service star, Max. Sourdough |
13 Jun 00 - 10:09 PM (#242162) Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys From: Mrrzy Wow! That's great! |
13 Jun 00 - 10:20 PM (#242167) Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys From: bflat Art, your post is wonderful. Makes me think about my college days in the Green Mountains where I never heard it sung. Do you know anything of the etmology of the song? |
14 Jun 00 - 04:14 PM (#242454) Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys From: Art Thieme I don't know anything about the song at all. I just liked it -- took the words down on paper -- and saved 'em. The miracle is that I actually FOUND them. I'm glad I helped. Art |
14 Jun 00 - 10:55 PM (#242653) Subject: RE: hurrah for those green mountain boys From: Susan A-R I'm impressed! Susan a-R (sheepish in VT why didn't I know that one.) |
25 Sep 08 - 05:53 PM (#2450297) Subject: ADD: Green Mountain Boys (Ernie Sheldon) From: Joe Offer Art did a pretty good job of a transcription. Can't tell if he did it from memory or what, but I was impressed. I have the advantage of the recent reissue of the 1964 album, The Womenfolk, Volume 2 Here's what I hear on the recording: GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS (Ernie Sheldon) In a little valley by a bridge they made a stand, Just a bunch of boys, sir -- oh, but they were grand, Red Coats couldn't blind 'em forward or behind 'em, 'Cause their eyes were keen, sir -- and green their mountain land. Chorus: ------------Oh the mountains sing and the valleys ring, ------------And hooray for the Green Mountain Boys; ------------Oh the mountains ring and the valleys sing, ------------And hooray for the Green Mountain Boys. A farmer dropped his plow, took his rifle from the wall; Another dropped his hammer when he heard the call. Left their farms and wheat, sir -- to go plant freedom's seed, sir To feed a hungry nation with freedom for all. CHORUS Every man was ready, sir -- hidden where no folk could see, Behind the rocks and stones, in every bush and tree, They waited for a sign, sir -- gave 'em such a time, sir, Sent them on their way, sir -- back across the sea. CHORUS In a little valley by a bridge they made a stand, Just a bunch of boys, sir -- oh, but they were grand, The sky was red above, sir -- their hearts were filled with love, sir, For their brothers everywhere and their mountain land. CHORUS |
13 Mar 09 - 01:16 PM (#2588115) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk) From: GUEST Much of Womenfolk music is still available on Rhapsoyd |
09 Jun 13 - 08:36 PM (#3524603) Subject: Lyr Add: GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS From: GUEST,kathyleigh26 A few corrections: GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS (Ernie Sheldon) In a little valley by a bridge they made a stand, Just a bunch of boys, sir -- oh, but it was grand, Red Coats couldn't blind 'em forward or behind 'em, 'Cause their eyes were keen, sir -- and green their mountain land. Chorus: ------------Oh the mountains sing and the valleys ring, ------------And hooray for the Green Mountain Boys; ------------Oh the mountains ring and the valleys sing, ------------And hooray for the Green Mountain Boys. A farmer dropped his plow and took his rifle from the wall; Another dropped his hammer when he heard the call. Left their fields in weeds, sir -- to go plant freedom's seed, sir To feed a hungry nation with freedom for all. CHORUS Every man was ready, sir -- hidden where no foe could see, Behind the rocks and stones, in every bush and tree, Waited for the sign, sir -- then gave 'em such a time, sir, Sent 'em on their way, sir -- back across the sea. CHORUS In a little valley by a bridge they made a stand, Just a bunch of boys, sir -- oh, but it was grand, The sky was red above, sir -- their hearts were filled with love, sir, For their brothers everywhere and their mountain land. CHORUS |
22 Aug 17 - 05:14 AM (#3873082) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk) From: GUEST,Marcy Brooks I learned the same one from Fran Cameron at Happy Hills camp. You're not imagining it. But I can't find it on Youtube. |
22 Aug 17 - 05:17 AM (#3873083) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk) From: GUEST I guess I didn't scroll down far enough. I see that a couple of you found it. Thank you so much! BTW - I live in sight of the Greene Mountain of Tennessee now. :) |
25 Aug 17 - 05:50 PM (#3873638) Subject: Lyr Add: GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS (J.S. Kennison) From: Jim Dixon From a field recording collected by Alan Lomax and Helen Hartness Flanders. The singer calls this "Green Mountain Boys" but a commentary here says it is an adaptation of "The Backwoodsman," a widely distributed North American lumberman's song. This song can be found on the album "Thrufters & Throughstones: The Music of Vermont's First 400 Years" (2009) – heard by me via Spotify. My transcription: GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS As sung by J.S. Kennison* of Townshend, Vermont 'Twas on the year one [sic] hundred and forty-nine. I felt myself quite happy to find myself alive. I harnessed up my horses my day's work to pursue. I went all in cordwood as my daddy used to do. I'd hauléd only one load in the room of hauling four. I went down to the tavern; I couldn't haul no more. The tavern door being open, the liquor being free, Soon as one glass was empty, there was another filled for me. I met an old acquaintance—I dare not tell his name— Who told me of a ball; 'twas going to be that night. So with much persuasion, with him I did agree To meet at the place where the fiddler was to be. I threw my saddle on my back and went down to the barn. I saddled up Old Gray [not] thinking any harm. I saddled up Old Gray and we rode away so still, She hardly drew her breath till we came to Sandy Hill. My old daddy he took after me, I've often heard him say. [If] they hadn't had a pilot, he couldn't [have] found the way, Looking into ev'ry window where'er there was a light, Till his old gray locks were wet with the dews of the night. There was eight of us young gentlemen went on the floor to dance, With eight as pretty French girls as ever came from France. The fiddler being willing, his elbow being strong, Played "The Grounds of Old Ireland" for four hours long. The morning star is rising boys; you've all danced enough. Let us gather up our cash and pay the old calf(?). We'll go home to our plows; we'll whistle and we'll sing. We never will be caught in such as free as this again. Come all you good old people that carry the news about. Don't tell any lies; 'tis bad enough without. Don't tell any lies for to make any fuss. You've been guilty of the same, only a good deal worse. * Elsewhere he is called Josiah Kennison. |
29 Aug 17 - 12:18 PM (#3874172) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk) From: GUEST,Keebie When I met the woman who eventually became my wife - fifty years now and counting - she had a wonderful record of The Womenfolk. It had "The Green Mountain Boys" on it. Great notes on the L.P. jacket by Alex Hassilev (The Limeliters). I have long since lost memory of all the words. Thank you for them! We lost the record in a house fire in 1986. |
29 Aug 17 - 09:53 PM (#3874242) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk) From: GUEST,Jerome Clark I hadn't known, though I suppose I should have, that this ballad had been recorded. I've heard it precisely once, when a girl friend from my college days sang me a verse and a chorus, all she remembered from the version her grandmother had taught her when she was little. I have always assumed that the song concerned Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys, a notorious guerrilla band in the Revolutionary War. Apparently there's another set of lyrics evoking rowdies from this or another era, |
27 Oct 20 - 02:22 AM (#4076980) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk) From: GUEST,Kirk S I recollect hearing this on an old vinyl, I thought by Burl Ives, singing of Ethan Allan and his Green Mountain Boys fighting the British. |
20 Jun 21 - 07:06 PM (#4110816) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Green Mountain Boys (from Womenfolk) From: GUEST,Zoe Here is a recording of this song on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4oKmUPtG0A |