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04 Nov 05 - 09:24 AM (#1597260) Subject: happy? – Nov 4 (First wagon train) From: Abby Sale The first wagon train arrived in California 11/4/1841 (left Independence, Missouri on May 1, 1841)
A favorite California immigrant song of the 1850's. Carl Sandburg writes: "It has the stuff of a realistic novel. It is droll and don't-care, bleary and leering, as slippery and lackadaisical as some of the comic characters of Shakespeare." It's one of those songs that is (or was) so familiar that no one thought about the words – just the cute little doggie. Yet if you read the whole thing, it would never be allowed in schools today (that is, if they had music classes anymore). It would probably be banned on any of a dozen counts of racial/religious prejudice and stereotyping, sex, violence, drunkenness, infidelity, etc, etc. Great song, really! ALSO: – Actually, there's a whole bunch in the File for today, but... Mischief Night (Guy eve: 11/4 – go burn something.)
Copyright © 2005, Abby Sale - all rights reserved What are Happy's all about? See Clicky |
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04 Nov 05 - 09:36 AM (#1597267) Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 4 (First wagon train) From: GUEST,Mrr Nov 4 1979 was also the beginning of the Islamic fundamentals versus the USA "war" - the taking over of the Tehran embassy. Don't let the Bushites convince anybody that it started 9/11/01! |
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04 Nov 05 - 10:46 AM (#1597310) Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 4 (First wagon train) From: GUEST,Art Thieme Abby, As I'm sure you know, the great story songs, the ballads, like this one, the songs I love most from the history of the USA, are ones that so many today would pooh pooh as not worthy of consideration or of being heard and sung. It saddens me, and makes me feel a bit personally diminished. It is strange that perceptions and value judgments are, seemingly, so much at the mercy of mere whim and uneducated stabs in the dark, no matter how well intentioned, and even sometimes actually accurate that various valid portions of the P.C. reasoning might be. As usual in this forum, you have made a very good point---and also one that will probably be overlooked, in the short run, by ones who ought to hear you! We can always hope that the wonder of the historical panorama will once again be seen as valuable as the new generations live long enough themselves to accrue their own historical past. That happening will give them a basis for re-evaluating their askance view of the study of certain things historical. Towards the end of my tenure singing folk songs, I used to put together a workshop (to be done with others) of just the great songs from our repertories that we felt, at least, hesitant to sing precisely because they had become questionable simply because of changing current attitudes---and the passing of time. Indeed, I usually had to put the songs in historical context with a spoken introduction (and/or a tale or a pertinent bit of jokelore) to hopefully ensure a more accepting audience. I'd enjoy meeting you some day. (By the way, it may be strange for me to ask, and maybe I'm too dense to discern, but are you male or female? Your name doesn't give that info away ;-) All the best, Art Thieme |
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04 Nov 05 - 11:01 AM (#1597327) Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 4 (First wagon train) From: GUEST,Mrr Just found out that in Iran, Nov. 4th is "national anti-global arrogance day" - I like the holiday idea, although the reasons leave something to be desired. |
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04 Nov 05 - 01:59 PM (#1597447) Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 4 (First wagon train) From: Abby Sale Art: Thanks for the positive thoughts. And of course I agree with all you said about ballads/history. Old Put must have been quite a character - to be able to give the nasty _reality_ of the 49ers and keep it in such a comic format that "Sweet Betsy From Pike" can still be sung in very PC venues (that is the full song) today and people still laugh. I still hope to return to Chicago one day. but are you male or female? :-) If one should look through my posts over the last 17 years (here, there & everywhere) one would find only a small handful of clues. I'm not sure of the reason... Perhaps because I'm clueless. Perhaps because I'm married. Of course, it's no secret. |
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05 Nov 05 - 05:55 AM (#1597909) Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 4 (First wagon train) From: Paul Burke Yes, Abby is male or female. Probably. |
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05 Nov 05 - 04:12 PM (#1598224) Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 4 (First wagon train) From: GUEST,Joe_F I have gathered, over the years, that he has a wife, and not in Massachusetts, either. --- Joe Fineman joe_f@verizon.net ||: Live and learn. Die and forget it all. :|| |
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05 Nov 05 - 05:25 PM (#1598283) Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 4 (First wagon train) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Put's Golden Songster of 1858 has 31 songs by John A. Stone, including "Sweet Betsey." This little book should be required reading in any history course covering the westward migration to California. Unfortunately, this book (and his other songsters, one of temperance songs) are long out of print, and very rare. Not only does the book have songs, but includes comic stories that show the humor and mind-set of the ordinary people of that time. Not all the songs are about the California bound, but "Parting Friends" expresses the sadness of parting with friends and family (not the Southern Uplands and shape note song). OK. some of the jokes are terrible- "Pete, I hear that some Yankee down East hab invented a machine for taking the noise out ob thunder." "Well, Bill, I guess it's so, case I habn't heard any dis winter." |
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05 Nov 05 - 09:19 PM (#1598440) Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 4 (First wagon train) From: Fergie And its also the day that Spencer decided to give up roving. |
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05 Nov 05 - 09:30 PM (#1598443) Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 4 (First wagon train) From: Fergie SPENCER THE ROVER These words were compos-ed by Spencer the Rover Who traveled Great Britain and most parts of Wales He had been so reduc-ed, which caused great confusion And that was the reason he went on the roam In Yorkshire, near Rotherham, he hath been on his rambles Being weary of traveling, he sat down to rest At the foot of yon mountain there runs a clear fountain With bread and cold water he himself did refresh It tasted more sweeter than the gold he had wasted More sweeter than honey and gaveth more content But the thoughts of his babies, lamenting their father Brought tears to his eyes which made him lament The night fast approaching, to the woods he resorted With woodbine and ivy his bed for to make There he dream-ed about sighing, lamenting and crying Go home to your family and wandering forsake On the fourth of november, I've a reason to remember When first he arriv-ed home to his family and wife They stood so surpris-ed, when first he arriv-ed To behold such a stranger once more in their sight His children came around him with their prittle prattling stories With their prittle prattling stories to drive care away Now they are united, like birds of one feather Like bees in one hive, contented they'll stay So now he is a living in his cottage contented With woodbine and roses growing all around his door He's as happy as those who have thousands of riches Contented he'll stay and go a rambling no more |
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06 Nov 05 - 10:55 AM (#1598650) Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 4 (First wagon train) From: Abby Sale Q: I agree. Many of them and a wealth of other material and good comment are in Irwin Silber (ed.), Songs Of the Great American West 1967. You can get the photo reprint of Put's for about $40. I just had a look at ABEbooks. |
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06 Nov 05 - 11:11 AM (#1598656) Subject: RE: happy? – Nov 4 (First wagon train) From: GUEST,Art Thieme Joe, Thanks! Now I know... |