10 Jan 98 - 05:57 PM (#19011) Subject: LYR REQ: Tate's Hell From: pete savage A friend is looking for lyrics (and chords?) to what he characterized as a Florida folk song about a man named Tate lost in a swamp, called "Tate's Hell" or "the Ballad of Tate's Hell" Thanks for any assistance! Pete |
10 Jan 98 - 06:12 PM (#19013) Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Tate's Hell From: pete savage i forgot to ask that any information also be sent directly by email to: medlinc@scfn.thpl.lib.fl.us many thanks!! pete |
12 Jan 98 - 04:46 AM (#19092) Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Tate's Hell From: Wolfgang Hell Found this bit. Not yet what you want, Pete, but with title and singer the search might be easier. Wolfgang "As with all local legends, this one has its variations recorded by nationally recognized folklore singer Will McLean in the 1945 song "Ballad of Tate's Hell," a movie that substantially embellished the story, a play and several books. According to McLean's ballad, Cebe Tate, a resident of the tiny town of Sumatra located just outside of the Apalachicola forest, went hunting for panthers with his two dogs and a "puppy named Spark. ... The big rattler struck him above the bent knee. The lick was so hard, a'sprawling he fell. This was the beginning of poor old Tate's Hell." In the ballad, Tate managed to crawl out of the swamp 12 days later in Carrabelle, about 25 miles southeast of Sumatra, where he muttered, "My name is old Tate, boys, I've just been through hell!" Then he died." |
12 Jan 98 - 09:52 PM (#19143) Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Tate's Hell From: pete savage wolfgang: could you tell me where you found that? many thanks! // pete |
13 Jan 98 - 05:31 PM (#19173) Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Tate's Hell From: Joe Offer Well, Pete, I'll betcha Wolfgang found the article in the Flambeau News. Take a look - it's a great story. I did a search under Will McLean and found a Web page, but it didn't work last night. I'll keep looking. Sounds like we NEED this song. Say, do we have any good snakebit songs in the database? -Joe Offer- |
13 Jan 98 - 05:43 PM (#19175) Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Tate's Hell From: pete savage found lots of stuff on will mclean and on the story of tate and his hell... even found lots of stuff on the state of florida restoring tate's hell. but no music or words... still looking! thanks wolfgang and joe!! |
14 Jan 98 - 04:00 AM (#19197) Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Tate's Hell From: Wolfgang I can't add anything to what Joe has written, sorry. I enjoyed reading that story. Wolfgang |
22 Jan 98 - 08:28 PM (#19718) Subject: Lyr Add: TATE'S HELL (Will McLean) From: Joe Offer TATE'S HELL by Will McLean (1919-1990) © 1992, Wakulla Music, BMI Old Tate left Sumatra along about dark. He had his two big dogs and a puppy named Spark. An old Long Tom shot-gun, a sharp Barlow knife, That panther would sure have the chase of his life A little past moon down, the dogs struck the scent; Through bramble and titi a-running Tate went; For hours and hours, until it was dawn; Then Tate knew that he was a long way from home. He blowed through his gun-barrel, the dogs did not hear; The panther had killed them, and now Tate felt fear; The sun was not shining, the mist it was thick; "Oh, Lordy," Tate hollered, "I'm lost up the crick." He leaned back to rest, and his eyes did not see; The big rattler struck him above the bent knee; The lick was so hard that a-sprawling he fell; This was the beginning of poor old Tate's Hell! He opened his Barlow and grabbed him some moss; A cut he made one way, another across; He wrapped his leg tightly and tied it with string; the sickness came on him, his body turned green. When Tate was discovered, these words he did tell, "My name is Old Tate, boys! I've just been in Hell!" These few-spoken words were the last that he said; His spirit, it left him. Old Tate, he was dead. Many thanks to Margaret Longhill of the Will McLean Foundation, P.O. Box 77, Holder, FL 34445-0077 Phone (352)465-7208 (books & recordings available) 1998 Will McLean Music Festival, Sat-Sun April 11 & 12 7 miles west of Dade City, Florida (just north of Tampa) -Joe Offer- |
22 Jan 98 - 10:21 PM (#19726) Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Tate's Hell From: dick greenhaus My goodness. It's a bird! It's a plane! It's.... Joe Offer! thanx Joe. Good song. |
26 Jan 98 - 11:26 PM (#19993) Subject: RE: LYR REQ: Tate's Hell From: pete savage Joe: Thank you VERY much! Pete |
28 Feb 08 - 09:29 AM (#2274667) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: GUEST The lyrics Joe put up are correct but he is missing the intro where the singer is is telling about " Listen dear children and ill tell you a tell...." and i dont remember any more of that but that is the best part. |
11 Feb 09 - 04:01 AM (#2563558) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: GUEST I know it may be a little late for this into, but here it is for all who wish to have it. I remember hearing this ballad while growing up in rural north Florida. It is a very common song for the region. Oh, listen, good people. A story I'll tell Of a great swamp in Florida, a place called Tate's Hell— A hundred and forty square watery miles With millions of "skeeters" and big yeller-flies. And where all about the moccasins lie With glittering death in their beady eye, Where bull-gators beller and panthers squall. Now, this is a place to be shunned by all. Steven |
11 Feb 09 - 04:05 AM (#2563563) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: GUEST There is more to the end of the tale, I can not at the time remember how it goes. But I know there is more to the end of the ballad than is listed at this time. |
24 May 09 - 10:34 PM (#2640197) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: GUEST,Jeanne These words are spoken after the last sung verse shown above: No man can dispute this legend of yore, How Tate lived a full week and then five days more, And somehow crawled out close to Carrabelle From the deep ghostly swamp that we know as Tate's Hell. |
02 Sep 09 - 10:31 AM (#2714558) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: GUEST,tom thumb.. this used to keep me awake at night, better than any ghost story |
21 Apr 10 - 12:15 AM (#2891104) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: GUEST,buzztally I believe a local musician by the name of Doug Gauss still sings it. |
03 Jun 10 - 01:07 AM (#2919577) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: GUEST,wakullaboy5 i think your right just call into 93.3 and ask were you can get a copy of the cd and are any of yall even from arounf wakulla and franklin county |
04 Jun 10 - 11:23 AM (#2920534) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: Jim Dixon "Local" – That's great. We've got people all over the world reading this thread and trying to figure out where "local" is. |
04 Jun 10 - 11:34 AM (#2920540) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: Jim Dixon And there are 4 stations in Florida alone that use the frequency 93.3 – 96 stations in North America. |
09 Jun 10 - 10:30 PM (#2924342) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: Jim Dixon OK, for what it's worth, I've figured out that "local" here means Tallahassee, Florida, and the radio station in question is WGWD. |
20 Jul 10 - 11:53 PM (#2948726) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: GUEST,Wallace Kelley I grew up in Apalachicola and now live in Tallahassee. My father had a record with this song on it and I loved hearing it. It's great to finally find the lyrics. Now I need a CD with this song. Thanks! |
25 Sep 10 - 09:02 AM (#2993414) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: GUEST,Stan Smith You can download the song from i-tunes website for 99 cent. Great ballad! |
25 Oct 10 - 05:05 AM (#3014776) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: GUEST,GUEST This is a great song, I heard it years ago and it has always stuck with me. I grew up in rural north FL also, and have been driven through Tate's Hell many times. Luckily I got out alive! You can listen to the song here for free: http://new.music.yahoo.com/will-mclean/tracks/tates-hell--175689263 |
14 Mar 11 - 11:26 PM (#3113903) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tate's Hell (Will McLean) From: GUEST,jamie I was born and raised in tates hell. I hunt it fish it and trap it and have done so since I was a child. the ballet of tates hell was my favorite bed time story as a kid. if i can be of any help to anyone let me know. james_yancey2003@Yahoo.com |